The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-08-11

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save by businesslike administration.
Apart from the so-called police laws
which range from protection
against the burglar to protection a.
gainst undesirable immigration-the
effect of any legislation is largely
guesswork. One after another of
these laws backfires in operation and
burns the bystander. But there is no
guesswork about the beneficial re-
suits of General Dawes work, or OF
the agreements to limit ornaments,
or of the refusal of township to au-
thorize a bond issue for an unneces-
sary or too expensive public improve
ment. You can't afford to live be-
yond your means in your public any
more than in your private expendi-
lures,
We wish that the educational pro
cess could be even more extended. A
year in Soviet Russia, taking pot
luck with the comrades, for those ed
itors and writers who acclaim and
proclaim Communism. might clarity
their ideas, 1t would De real pleas
uce to see some Of oar senators al
taeking the problems Of the Pennsyl-
yania Railroad as officials hound II
satisfy labor. shippers travellers and
stockholders Those srGe2t a3va-
Gates Of immigration whose present
activities are confined 10 hosssag
aliens, OF exploiting them, o. vo15Is
them. OF ssntneatAlizing over then,
might modify their point Of view II
they had 10 live saa compete sa- soNs
with them 1t might g1re pause even
to those officials who sire 50 3orously
proposing bond issues thai sire far in
advance Of the real needs Of o1r cit
les and states and what they can nj
ford. if they had u spend 1be
rest of their lives meeting the prob
lens they are 50 csrelsssly creating
No doubt il would be sanitary sx-
pcrience for us TO work on our 1R1-n
during the having and the harvest
A short intensive course in the other
fellows troubles, 3 practical con-
pl ehension of his problems. would
teach us that they cannot be solved
by any get-rich-Quick law, and 80 5
long way toward exploding our the
ories. dispensing our blocs, and retir- 4
ing our demsgogues to private life. |
Ed Howe has q comprehensive term 1
that he applies TO all mussers, med /
oilers and muddlerc-people whose
81 eat hearts are always throbbing /
over somebody, who are always
starting something at the other fell /
lows expense-passing around silly
lists, lauI ching fool
movements, demanding extravagant
expenditures for unnec essary pub
lie improvements, trying to swing
the town by its tail and TO lift the
world by its equator. Ed Howe
calls these people Public Affairs Lun-
atics, and the breed is increasing in
proportion as it is found that
there are publicity, le2ding-citizen
stuff and soft snap jobs in the game.
There is no remedy for these things
except education in the simple fun
damentals of politics and the com
mon sense that comes with knowl-
edge of what legislation cannot do
and Of how much honest administra
ton can do; in learning to distrust
anything that looks too good and to
anything that cones too easy;
and to reject any politician or party
that promises too nuca. People are
always saying pass law to stop
it," about conditions that legislation
cannot cure, and the demagogue will
pass law to oblige. Nine times out
of ten pass law means pass the
buck.
Mr. Edison has recently PROFOUND
ed a list of questions for the young
man seeking a job. When he has
little more leisure we wish he would
a series of questions TO be
answered by every man and woman
who wants to vote. with some special
queries for the dumb-bells who do
not Ii
He might begin by asking: On
what ground and for Just what rea-
sous are you a Republican? A Dem
ocrat? Exactly what are the basic
principles and policies of your party?
How are our national, state and
city party committees elected, organ
lied and financed? From whom do
the largest contributions come and
for what purpose are they expended?
If the church, Y. NJ. c. A and the
chamber of commerce make for
good town" to live in and so enlist :
your personal and financial interest
why do you not organize and support
political clubs working actively and
continuously for oood e-ovoruau1apf