The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1922-12-22
Why Is Ann

why Is hHu
Last week the Nashville Tennes
sean called attention to and com
mented upon the fact that the Hous
of Representative passed bill max
ing an appropriation of $30,000,00(
with less than fifty members partici
pating in the vote. 1t was one %
the rare occasions when American
newspapers begin to inquire why tht
Congress of the United States should
be constituted with half a Thousand
members when ten or probably less
than ten per cent of the members is
required for the consideration and
passage of a bill of such magnitude
as the one mentioned. Of course the
bill had the approval of the commit
tee which reported it, but it should
also have the attention of the House
which acts upon it.
Public delinquencies and ex-
travagances are becoming so noto-
I1OuoIy Will IuS
classes that one is naturally and in
stinctively moved by the sheer reck-
lessness of government. Just as Con-
gress is a big bungling institution,
so also are the multifarious branches
of government. But, instead of con-
solidation, coordination and simplifl-
cation, which means a smaller num-
Der of competent, active agencies, the
rule is to multiply and move by the
rule of the thumb
Every rose has it's thorn, so also
the idealism of republican govern
ment has its piracy in politics. If it
were not for title and class probably
the masses would care less for dem
ocracy and the title hunters would
be better satisfied at home. The
benevolent monarchy cannot undo it's
cast nor the republic its politics.
1t is hard for the representative
and the mass to arrive at an under
standing, with the politician as a go
between. Thereby hangs a tale"
But when a representative news
paper like the Tennessean is moved |
by such startling facts as that in
which the passage of bill for thirty
millions is Congressional pastime it
is an omen of probable awakening.
Therefore taking cue from the
wonder if we could ex
pect federation in suggesting that not
only could Congress function with
more efficiency and economy with
half it's membership, but that gen
sral exodus from the public trough,
and an active, coherent reorganiza-
ion of the remaining units would
cave us in an infinitely better condi-
ion for serving the public interests
# the American people.
If the Tennesseans remarks are
o be recognized as matters for legit-
mate discussion, then we would like
o press the question a little further.
What concerns. us most is the deadly :
expense of so much legislation and :
government. What is the philosophy :
# republican ideals consumed in 4 !,
ea of politics? =
Putting it a little palmer, why =
hould we have so many things done
or us by the ruling classes-things
hat we do not ask for, never have
he right to determine and even know
-ery little about until we are forced
o pay the taxes levied for the appro
,riations without our consent?
Why do we have the big, bungling
congress, as stated before, with its :
rmy of clerks, messengers, door =
.eepers, pages, etc. with millions of
Expense when a smaller and better
working body requiring less expense :,
ould be had?
Why should we have the multi :,
'licity of bureaus and commissions,
ono of which function very little
nd others not at all Tor all the good
hey do, when we don't need them?
Why the labor board when the cl
resident says that it is unnecessary h
I'D If no labor board why should lot