The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-11-24
A Better way.

some time ago md0e : NViS
speech in Congress against the lnV%
sion of States rights by the Federa
Government, and more recently Sen
ator Borah makes plea for STATE
sovereignty At the same time these
Senators and others have al one time
or another voted for Federal amend
monts which usurp the constitutional
rights vested in the States. One
makes an exception of prohibition
on the grounds that the Government
is aiding the States in law extension
and enforcement. Another defends
Federal aid to schools and roads, vo'
cational enterprises, ETC., on the
grounds of promoting State extern
sion. So ad finitua ad libitum-the
ends justify tho means.
If these doctriRaires, especially
those who are members OF Congress
will entertain simpler suggestion
than any of these, the fear of de-
stroying State sovereignty may be
somewhat allayed.
The suggestion we propose is tina.
the Government turn back and re-
verse the course Of actien in many OF
it's alleged progressive measures
abandon entirely the things that can
be done more advantageously by in
dividual ort-discontinuo those
things which are relatively more ex-
pensive than any good results to be
derived therefrom.
President Grover Cleveland, who
was about the only chief executive
of the national government who I'M
dertook retrenchmeRt of administra-
ton and of other branches of gov
eminent, began by asking his Sec
rotary of Agriculture to report the
things in his department that were
not absolutely necessary to the ad-
vancement of farming interests. The
reply was that the whole blooming
department could be abolished with
out a serious loss. But the president
refrained from so drastic PROPOSE
ton.
The Commercial thinks, and we
have been feeling that way for some
time, that many Of the government
activities are whslIy or partially SUI
perfuous in their effect upon the
progress and well being of the peo-
pie of the United States.
Federal promotions are made in
the name of civilization and progress
that are very little more, if any,
than the extension of department
service for political purposes-the
increase of Federal bureaus and of
patronage.
No wonder the promoter goes to
the Federal Government to further
his schemes. There are now too ma
ny of these things. Opportunists,
totally blind to craftsmanship, are
drinking in these Elusive fountains.
And while this is going On taxes
are piling higher and higher-the
national debt and deficit increasing
all the time.
If we only had another Cleveland
About first thing he would do
would be to clean house, something
on the same plan that Austin Peay
has proposed.
Except that about the first
thing he wouId do would be to-
drop the national educational bu-
reau, The States can take care of
their own educational affairs infin-
itely better without Government aid.
The fact is that Mr.. Peay is too
much wrapped up in the higher edu-
cational institutions of the State and
the promotion OF the State University
and normal schools There are pri-
vate universities and preparatory
schools in every State far more thoro
and efficient than any of these State
schools. The States should devote
more time and money to the common
schools. Here is where the public
duty lies, and when that is done the
private institutions of higher learn !
ing of the United States are fully |
capable of taking care of the pupils
1T just as moderate expense as any
If the State sch0aIs and more than
most of them.
There isn't a better system of pri-
rate universities and colleges in tho
world than there is in the United
states, and then why either the State
II the National Government mixing
Ip in these things?
The next thing would be the abol-
ton of the Interstate Commerce
dent know anything
hat has done mere to destroy the
system Before the
7ar the commission hadn't done a
reat deal of mischief. It is said by
len who have studied the subject