The Cordova daily times., 1922-08-15
TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1922
THE ALARMING GROWTH OF FEDERAL
 POWER

Senator William E. Borah, in a remark ably forceful argument written tor the Ne" York Times. calls attention to the peril in volved in the growing centrallzaton or pow CT and responsibility in the government at Washington State and local governments, and individual citizens, Senator Borah pomts out, are shouldering upon the federal gov ernment duties and responsibilities when should be more widely distributed. The doc Urine of ''Let Uncle Sam do it' IS resulting in the building up of top heavy govern ment machine at Washington, with conse- ouent decay of local government and the dls- annearance of a widely diffused sense ot per sonal. state, country, city, town and toWnshlp responsibility.
 One of the most important factors Ill the stability of the American government un- doubtedlv has been the federal system as plan ned Inv the founders of this republic: a system nnder which the national government was eX- .,,oc+ed to nerform only functions essential to federal control. while the people in the sev- eral states and communities of the country were permitted to dominate their local affairs This system has tended to keon the people sat ;sfiod win federal mower, while holding the1r local and state officials to| accountability for 4ho ordering of public affairs in which the noon1e have the most immediate concern
 Du,ino the nast twenty years the growth or federal and curtampnt of state and local DOW n7 has been thp most sionificant svmnton o1 onr governmental devo]onment. The war enormously increased the orown@ Dre-War +ordorcv to look 10 Washin"ton for every +hino Snccnpdino Congresses have been busy incroasino the authority of tho federal govern mont over private and nuhlic affairs. The creation of additional boards. bureaus and commissions with hOrdes of emnlOvees buslV onga~cd in increasing their own power and n,77nbnr has been the order of the day.
 That oovernmpntal power which is exercised within the immediate view and control ot +hosn in whose behalf and on whose authority # is welded will bo most honestly and "f- ficient1v emD1ovpd The astounding lnefflc- inncv of many big federal bureaus is due to the fact that the power exercised is so far removed from the view of those who foot the bills. Federal functionaries can do and have done things that no state or local official would dare to undertake because of the fear of public sentiment The conditions under which our federal civil service is operated tend to the creation of a totally irresponsible bureaucracy which does not attempt to con- ceal it disregard, if not contempt, of pub lie opinion.
 It is time to call halt upon the tendency to make the federal government the general mender and controller of everything. That tendency is building up top-heavy govern mental machine, possessing entirely too much power and arousing popular antagonism be- cause of its heavy cost and continual interfer- ence in affairs formerly not considered within it's jurisdiction That antagonism is growing too rapidly for the peace of. mind of those who desire the increase of popular respect for and confidence in government
 Senator Borah in his remarkably clear and convincing exposition of this vital topic has performed an important public service. Other