Iron County register., 1921-02-03
Drifting" Mr.. Harding!
missouri State Journal. !


ing told the newspaper correspond
ents at Marion that "the government
of the United States has been simply
drifting" Could any utterance bet
ter illustrate the mental attitude of
the average Republican statesman?
To his mind, there is no wisdom save
that wrapped up in Republican heads;
no capacity save that provided by
Republican officials; no resourceful-
ness save that afforded by Republican
administrations; no constructiveness
save that founded upon Republican
policies. To the Republican politician
of the Harding mind, the last eight
years have been accidental with moth
ing accomplished worth remember
ing. Even the world war was q mis-
fit to their minds, and especially our
part in it. If there had been Re-
publican President during the war,
a Republican administration to deal
WIFI bhC SOhduCU VI UlO WnIS UhO Oh
( tire period would have been a glori-
GUS epoch in human history, and Re-
publican orators would have burst
with praise. If Republican Presi-
dent, with Republican Commission
ers, had conducted the peace negotia-
tions, and had presented a peace
treaty with the League of Nations
embodied in it, Republican Senators
of the Lodge and Harding type would
have fallen over one another in their
mad scramble to be the first to urge
its ratification. AS it is, to the Re-
publican politician, we have been
simply drifting!
Was the Government of the United
States '"simply drifting" when the
Federal Reserve Act was devised,
under which panIcs have been abolish
ed and the greatest war in all time
financed without straining the fin
ancial resources of America?
Was the Government of the United
States "simply orifting' when it
fostered legislation creating the rural
credit banks, when it provided the
income tax, when it established q
system of cooperative road building,
whereby the Federal Government is
to contribute 100000, 900 for the
building of roads; when it gave
impetus to agricultural education
through the Smith Lever bill?
Was the Government "simply drift
ingn when the President settled the
coal strike. or during the work of the
Department of Labor whereby 1900
labor disputes we're settled without
disturbance?
Was the Government of the United
States "simply drifting" when it
sponsored legislation which has re-
suited in the restoration of the Ameri-
can flag to the high seas, lifting our
merchant marine to second place
among che nations?
Was the Government of the United
States "simply drifting" when the
antitrust laws were strengthened
and the Federal Trade mission
created?
Was the Government of the United
States "simply drifting" during the
war when more than 100000 men
were raised and trained, and more
than two million carried overseas in
the midst of submarine warfare, with
out the loss of single vessel, con-
yoyed by ship of the American
navy?
Was the Government of the United
States "simply drifting when the
American navy was brought to the
highest point of efficiency ever
known, with the largest personnel OF
any navy in the world, and second in
equipment?
Was the Government of the United
States ''simply drifting" when child
labor was abolished, the eight hour
day established, the woman's bureau
created, the liberalizing of laws
affecting labor in all its relations with
industry accomplished?
No form of partisan narrowness
can obscure these outstanding features
{ of the record of Democratic achieve
ment, however adroitly the effort
. may be made. In truth, the Govern
ment Of the United States did moi
come to the drifting" point until
\ Congress, one of the CO. ordinate
branches of government, fell into the
hands Of Mr.. Harding's compatriots
1t has been the Republican Congress-
that has been "drifting" and not the
governmental branch controlled by
Democrats.
If we are to fnd "drifting'' in any
quarter outside of Congress, oul
search would be most speedily re-
warded by contemplating Mr.. Hard
Ing, who has been ''drifting' among
~ : q -. : T.