The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1920-09-09
Cox Stands for
Govt. Ownership

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3.-That gov.
eminent ownership of public utilities
has Cox's sanction is asserted by the
Republican Publicity Association, by
its president, Hon. Jonathan Bourne,
Jr., in the following statement issued
today.
Let the government do it is not
one of the policies of Warren G. Hard
ing, the Republican nominee for the
presidency. In that respect he differs
from the gentlemen who have been in
control Of the Democratic party.
"In his speech of acceptance Sena-
tor Harding declared his opposition
to government ownership Of railways.
Discussing economic problems he de-
clared that When competition nat
ural, fair, impelling competition-is
suppressed, whether by law, compact
or conspiracy, we halt the march OF
progress, silence the voice of inspira-
tion and paralyze the will for achieve
ment,' thus indicating his confidence
in Individual effort as the secret Of
progress.
Speaking OF profteering. he as
serted the Republican purpose to pre-
vent unreasonable profits and to chaI-
1enge profiteering with all the moral
force and the legal powers of the gov
ernment' But he reminded the peo-
pie of the country that law is not the
sole corrective of our economic ills.
Said he:
"Iet us call to all the people for
thrift and economy, for denial and
sacrifice, if need be, for a nationwide
drive against extravaganza and lux
ury, to a recommittal to simplicity of
living, to that prudent and normal
plan of life which is the health of the
republic
"The Harding policy is one of Civ
ing the individual citizen the widest
possible opportunity for accomplish
ment, with the encouragement rather
than the interference of the govern
ment except so far as necessary to
protect the rights of all against the
selgshness of few. He recognizes
the fact that increased production
must be the result of individual ef-
fort and not of governmental activ-
ity.
'In the platform on which the Dem
ocratic party came into power in 1913,
there was declaration in favor of the
full exercise by the states of their re-
serve sovereign powers and denounc-
ing the enlargement by indirection of
the powers of the federal government.
But from the very day the Wilson ad-
ministration began, there was con-
ey%.. ~ - l.
of the federal government over every
branch of industry and enterprise, un-
til today scarcely any man in the
United States engaged in any under
taking can feel free from the restrain
ing and menacing hand of some fed
eral official agent. Let the gov
ernment do it has been the Wilson
policy and wisconsin has been in
dorsed by the Democratic national
convention in platform upon which
Mr.. Cox declares that he squarely
stands. The perpetuatiOn of Demo-
cratic policies throuh the election Of
Mr.. Cox will mean the continued ex-
tesion of the policy of federal inter-
ference with the Jurisdiction of the
states, and federal limitation of indi-
vidual enterprise and activity.
1T will be remembered that Mr.
Cox has expressly declared his advo-
cacy Of government ownership of all
public utilities except agricultural.
While it will me the effort of his cam
paign managers TO ignore or dpre-
cate this assertion of policy, yet It
will be apparent to the voters of the
country that such is the Cox concep-
tion of the proper prerogatives of the
government, and that so far as it lies
in his power, he will extend the au-
thority of the federal government with
Its attendant increased cost of opera
tion, decreased efficiency, and discour-
agement of individual enterprise. Mr..
Cox would entangle in the endless
mazes of red tape almost every line
OF industry. Mr.. Harding would set
business free under a natural, fair.
impelilng competition in order TO en-
courage "a joining of hand and brain
in. production, more production, hon
est production. patriotic production
The Cox program will be to let every
body else quit and let the government
do it."