The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1921-09-02
Governor Uowden's Speech.


Illinois, made a speech in Nashville
last week, interpreting the political
and industrial conditions and prob
lens in a way that impressed the
people there as nothing has done for
many day.
Governor Lowden makes a general
statement, in striking contrast to the
policies of the present Republican
administration, as follows:
81 fear in the reaction against a
close association of nations, in which
we might lose something of our SOW
ereignty, we are likely to go too far
to the other extreme Eminent au-
thorities are declaring that our for
eign commerce is but a bagatelle
compared with our domestic COM
merce and that, therefore, we need
feel but little concern about our for
eign trade. This is always popu-
lar appeal-America sufficient unto
herself alone But is it sound? We
always have been producers of great
surplus of raw material such as cot
ton. Our prosperity in the past has
depended upon our finding market
for such raw materials. We cannot,
therefore, ignore our foreign trade
and continue to thrive. We may be
independent of all the world politi-
cally, but commercially our future is
inextricably interviewer with that of
the rest Of the world"
This, OF course. touches our for
eign policy. But here is another
fact which is completely and studi-
ously ignored by every administra-
tion as far back as Grover Cleveland:
LET the proportion of p:lblic en-
ployees continue to increase as rapid
ly as they have in lato years, AMI we
will within reasonable time witness
this phenomenon: Our population
divided into two classes, these hold
ing public office, still a minority it is
true, and all others working to sup
port tho minority in office. From
that condition to the soviet form of
government it is gu; single STEP"
One of the campaign pledges made
by President Harding IVES that one
general reduction in the number of
government employees at Washing
ton.
Not only has he failed in this COM
pletely, but he has abused the con-
fidence of his people by actually in
dorsing the recommendations made
for the Shipping Board on the
grounds that the high salaried men
of the board had accepted this serv-
ice at sacrifice of their own private
business.
Nice, indeed. this attitude, after
parading his virtues before Congress
in an appeal to drop the soldiers
bonus.
The speech is teeming from be-
ginning to end with undisputable
facts, one of which is that the COM
and industrial world is wag-
ing an unequal battle with agricul-
ture.
Both the foreign and domestic
markets are practically closed to the
farmer. On the other hand the State
and Federal governments are de-
handing an enormous tribute in
LAKES, so heavy in many cases that
the land is confiscated.
In England this condition has gone
so far that some of the ancient and
titled estates are being sold for the
purpose Of escaping tax burden and
While this condition exists we see
eur Government, warned by Secre-
tary Mellon that expenses must be
ignoring this warning and
in the widest and most
extravaganza.
Fabulous sums. the Ike of which
have never before appeared in the
widest dreams of mankind, are be-
ng appropriated for arzoy and navy
and Incidentally in
,reasing the wealth of the ateel and
structural corporations with immense
government subsidies.
So high handed is this practice and I.
% bold in its operation that these
zig interests and tho government be- !,
lind them are riding rough shod
md unconcerned over the PROSTATE
,ody of the agricultural classes.
The farmer has no market for. his :
,roduce. He cannot make another .
rop because the prices of machinery !
nd supplies are prohibitive. He is :
practically bankrupt.
1t is incouceivable that agricul- :
ure can move uaIer this strain. The 9
of the nation depends up :
n the farming industry. That be-
ng so, how can conditions be i'm
roved while these inconsistencies r
xist. II
Governor Lowdens diagnosis of