The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-18
FEDERAL AID.

AmonG resolutions adopted by the
state grange convention was one con-
demning federal ard for hard roads.
It is maintained by the members of
the grange that the present system of
dispensing aid is conducive to extrava-
gance on the part of county officers
and tends to make the tax burden
heavier.
In an article in the Manufacturers
Record Frank o. Lowden, formerly
governor of Illinois and candidate for
TIE Republican nomination for the
presidency in 1920, under the caption,
Federal Aid a Delusion," writes as
follows:
Z Federal aid. generally speaking. is
A bribe offered to state governments
TO surrender their own proper func-
tons There is scarce a domain in
the field of government properly be-
longing to the municipality or the
state which the Federal Government
is not seeking to invade by the use of
the speciOus phrase federal aid"
Education, public health. private en-
ploymeut are a few instances which
readily come to mind. The bureau
Gratis who initiate these movements for
an extension of their own power draw
greatsstrength from the class specially
affected. This rapid extension of Fed
greatly increased expenses because of
duplication of efforts, but it means the
gradual breaking down of local self
government in America. For the bu-
reaucrat at Washington assumes to
control not only his own administra-
ton in that field but that OF the state
as we'll There was not a department
of state government in Springfield
even during the war that did not pro-
test that if the Government would
withhold its hands ii could better and
more efficiently administer its affairs
without this Government aid and in
terference.
The employees of the city or the
state or the nation all the while be-
come a more important factor in in
creasing the cost of government
orally organized in the several
branches OF the public service. What
ever the nominal purpose of the or
ganiZation, their keenest activities are
directed toward an increase in pay.
These organizations have come TO be
so powerful that they exercise a very
great influence upon legislative bodies.
The different organizations are usually
found cooperating closely when the
question is an increase of salary for
members of any one of them.
Tho large majority of our people
still earn their own livelihood in pri-
vate pursuits. the minority which de-
rives its sustenanee from the public
treasury has become large enough, |
thoroly as that minority is organized, |
to frighten city councils, state legisla-
lures, and even congress into comply
ing with their demands. 1t is unfor-
tunats that nearly always those who
seek for any purpose to get money Ou.
of the public treasury are thoroly or
ganized. The taxpayers as such never
are. 1t thus happens that the militant5
minority is often more powerful than
the unoCganiZed and perplexed ma /
jority. This fact in itself is the strong |
est argument of which know against
extending governmental activities be
better to put up with all the imper-
fections in private operation of any |
agency or industry than to increase |
the number of public employees. 1
tremble when I think of the conse- |
quences if the number of public en- |
ployes shall be greatly increased
Also there is no doubt that excessive |
income taxes, excessive Inheritance /
taxes, and excess profits taxes tend to
extrava gance in public expenditures /
They furnish the selfish demagogue /
his most effective weapon He advo- /
Gates legislation in favor of one class
and tells the people that the cost will
be borne by the rich alone. If he were |
right in his assumption taat because |
the tax is paid by a small minority |
in the first instance the body of the |
people escape its consequences, the |
end of the Republic would indeed be /
near. For no body of men anywhere
have the virtue to be safely trusted /
with the power of imposing taxes upon /
others for their own benefit
Any unjust excessive tax, while II
may injure or ruin the individual upon 1
whom it first falls, Injuries society /
enter into the cost of production |
Therefore. the consumer in the end |
pays the tax.