The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-02-20

ton worthy of all praise, the American
people conferred upon the President pow
ers broader and more autocratic than
were possessed by any sovereign in the
civilized world. Our capacity for effort,
our fortunes, our liberty of conduct, our
lives, were freely placed at the disposal
of an executive whose authority was so
vast that its limits were imperceptible.
The authority was exercised by the
President, by his heads of departments,
his bureau chiefs, his government agents,
and his personal agents, to the full, with
out question, because the people of
America We're ready for any sacrifice to
win the war
Peace has come, in fact, if not tech
nically; but the powers of the executive
still continue. They should be brought
to an end. 1t is not simple thing, for
new conditions have been created, which
should be dealt with at the same time
by new statutes adapted to the condi-
tions of peace, and subject to the limita
tions upon power of our constitutional
system.
There is double immediate purpose
| to be served. One, to restore the habit
of freedom. 1t is dangerous for people
to acquire the habit of bowling to power
without limits. They soon become sub
iservient, and then character essential to
freedom degenerates. The other is to
stop multitude of interferences, i'll
Judged although we'll meant, with the
natural course of business through which
lalone natural laws can operate to restore
normal conditions"
Referring to the question of economy
Mr.. Root declared 1T is true that politi
al party cannot make individuals thrifty
but political party can produce the
shining and potent example of thrifty
and economical government" There haC
been protiigate expenditure during thu
, war which to some extent was inevitable
he said, but there would have been les
if capable business men had been calle,
to Washington instead OF leaving au
e thority in the hands of a group of me
quite unframed in business affairs an
distrustful of all who had achieved bus
:, ness success"
Il Officials and agents of the present az
y mnistration, he asserted, have acquire
e the habit of spending public money an
lie don't know when to stop. Three thing
can be done, he explained, to bring abol
le reform.
First, establishment of an effecti,
4 budget system. under which the COVER
r ment will be obliged to start with its r
Mt sources in order to determine its expenc
n lures.
Second, to secure an executive depai
on ment which will stop urging and go
gress that will stop appropriating mon
on for things which need not to be done n,
ki SO extensively. or need not to be do
at all.
Third, to revise the system of tal
m ton, and to make some serious chan.
les III it indicated by experiences of its
as fects. The review of taxation win
m volve the tariff. \ XIX Our new tariff |
nal must be framed so that American
led dustry will not be ruined. especially
that the manufacture of things which
DOT war has shown to be necessary for
re independence of the country shall not
mt, stopped and it must be framed so as
It'll to destroy the export trade of Euro
,ial which directly or indirectly will ena
or Europe to pay her debts and remain
rry vent"