The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-02-11
THE G.. o. p. PLATFORM AND
BUSINESS

At the present time when radical
remedies are proposed for many sup
posed economic ills, it is we'll for the
people to take a glance at just a few,
of the declarations of the Republican
party upon which it won it's phenom-
email victory in the campaign of last
summer and fall. Assuming without
assertion, that there have been illegal
practices in certain industries, with
some consequent profiteering at the
expense of the buying public, the nat
ural question, of course, arises as to
whether the creation of new governing
and supervising commissions is the
remedy for such condition. And. then,
on the other hand, the question arises
as to whether such a remedy has the
expressed or implied endorsement of
the people of the nation.
AS a matter of fact, and for the pur-
pose of setting at ease of certain rad
ical aggressors, the Republican plat
form of 1920 contains no intimation of
the adoption of any such policy. On
the contrary, increase of government
control owe industry is expressly con-
demned by that document. In a care
full review of the Republican platform
we find the Democratic administration
condemned for "its arbitrary and in
quisitorial control over the life of the
people in a time of peace, carrying con-
fusion into industrial life" We find the
Republicans pledged to undertake to
end executive autocracy and to restore
to the people their constitutional gov
ernmental rights" In summing up
the intention "to free business from
arbitrary and unnecessary official
control" The existing Federal legis-
lation against monopoly and combin-
ations in restraint of trade was APP
proved; the administration of the Fed
eral Trade Commission as it has been
conducted for the past four years, has
been condemned; and the opinion was
expressed in the Republican platform
that this commission properly organ
lied and its duties efficiently admins
tered should afford protection to the
public as well as legitimate business
enterprises; and the pledge was added
that this law would be strengthened
against unfair practices in every line.
Taken in all its bearings the Repub-
Hcan platform was an assurance to the
country that the success of the Repub-
hcan party at the polls would result
in a marked change of policy which
would free legitimate industry from
subsection to constant interference by
otficialdom exercising dictatorial and
autocratic powers. There was abso-
lutely no intimation hat any indi-
vidual or class or industry would be
protected in any in%equitable practice,
but, rather, that citizens would find the
measure of their responsibility and the
limitation of their liberties fixed clear
ly in the statutes, and not left to de-
termination by bureaucracy.
If there has been restraint of trade
imposing injustice upon the people,
there are laws upon the statute books
under the terms of which punishment
may be had and further injustice re-
strained. All that has been lacking in
u governmental machinery the past
two terms has been an administration
of the Department of Justice, with the
Will and the courage to enforce the
laws of the land as they are written.
And. further, the Republican party, ac-
cordlng to its platform, is pledged to
strengthen those laws, if need be, but
is likewise pledged to free legitimate
business enterprise from arbitrary and
unnecessary governmental official in
preference and control.
The pledges Of the Republican party
IN this respect are in accordance with
the dictates of reason. In occasional
and exceptional instances boards and
commissions may be established and so
administered as to be productive of
satisfactory results, but in general,
and in course of due time. in all in
stances, concentrated autocratic DOW
er will result in oppression and des-
truction. not only in the business itself,
but In the morale of the entire nation.
AS P~resident-Ef Elect Harding has well
said, "What the country needs is less