The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-02-24

were to be made only by the states, and the lesser
political subdivisions having immediate jurisdic.
ton, and then only by the plain terms OF statutes
enacted by the representatives Of the people. The
rapidly growing and alarming tendency today is
toward a Capitalization Of all authority and power
incident to government in Washington.
We have already ignored the admonition of the
fathers; we have defied the laws of human nature,
which have never changed; we have overlooked
the lessons of history. All these have admonished
us that only governments of simple laws can prop.
erly serve or long endure in q country Of free peo-
pie. We have already been led by the delusiOn
that government bureaus, exercising bureaucratic
authority and police power, not authorized by the
terms or implied by the provisions Of the Con.
stltuti0n, are better for the people than a govern
ment of plain statutes. We have been lured by
the promise that government agents would lead
the citizen by the hand into green pastures, be-
side still waters, into elysian fields, then on into
the millennium. Already the citizen looks about
him and finds himself in the midst of a fools
paradise, entirely surrounded by government bu-
reaus. So many Of the numerous bureaus of
the government are exercising bureaucratic au.
thority and police power that they meet the
citizen everywhere he turns-in his fields, in his
mills, in his mines, In his shops, in his factories,
in his places of business, great and smaIl-every.
where substituting the will and Judgment Of a
government agent for the will and judgment of the
individual citizen. No matter in what direction
the citizen may turn, 10, the agent Of the govern
ment is there to forbid or to command. Instead
Of remaining his protector, the government has
become his guardian.
There are many matters that require more than
individual attention, matters in which cooperation
is not only desirable but necessary. In all such
matters the smaller political subdivisions and the
states should be resOrted to. In that way the
portion Of the public directly concerned are able
to observe and intelligently determine whether
fhncn a ho,0 ~Io -
things they require are rendering q service that
justifes the continuance of the activity and the
expense involved in carrying it on. 1t is a pro-
found truth that that government is best that
governs least.
The government of the United States is If so
great national and internationl Importance to our
people even unto the remotest township and ham.
let or the republic that its place in their affections
Should not be imperiled, nor should il no made
the OBJECT OF common criticism for failure TO do for
the ciuZen wnat the citizen alone can do for him.
seiI. "A solemn responsibility and a great duty
Immediately confront us here. We are the chosen
representatives or the American people, sworn to
protect and defend the Constitution against all en-
emies' foreign and domestic. 1t is time to begin
the process OF reestablishing a government of laws
under the Constitution. 1t Is time to limit the
activitles and reduce the expenses Of government
at Washington. (Applause.) The process of elm
lnaung every element Of weakness with which tho
government has been burdened and which now
make IL the object OF criticism should be gradual
but persistent, until We can again look upon
as the simple government Of laws, given us by thj
fathers Tor the purpose of guaranteeing life. lid
erty. property, and the pursuit of happiness of tn
people, with the hope that our children and the
children from generation to generation may haJ
In the centuries as they come and go the san
guarantees and the same opportunities that
and our ancestors have enjoyed under the G
stitution OF the United States. (Applausel