Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-02-17

to be made oxly by the states, and the lesser
political subdivisions having immediate Jurisdlc-
ton, and then only by the plain terms OF statutes
enacted by the representatives Of the people. Inc
rapidly growing and alarming tendency today Is
toward Capitalization of all authority and power
incident to government in Washington.
We have already ignored the admonton of the
fathers we have defed the laws vi iIman 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 country of free peo-
pie. We have already been led by the deluslon
that government bureaus. exercising bureaucratic
authority and police power not authorized by the
terms implied by the provisions of the Con-
stitution are better for the people than 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 sma-every-
where substituting the will and Judgment Of
government agent for the will and judgment of the
individual citizen No matter In what direction
the citizen may turn TO- 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
me ttorc tha ctnallar politcal Subdivisions no
states should be resorted to. In that way the
portion of the public directly concerned are able
to observe and integently determine whether
those they have employed to do the particular
things they require rendering service that
justifes the continuance of the activity and the
expense involved in carrying 1t on. 1t Is a pro-
found truth that that government Is best that
governs least
The government of the United States is of 81
great national and internationl Importance To orr
people even unto the remotest township and ham,
let Of the republic that its place In their affections
should not be mperiled, nor should II be made
the object of common criticism for failure To do for
the citizen what the citizen alone can do for him
self. solemn responsibility and great duty
Immediately confront us here We are the chosen
representatives of the American people, sworn TO
protect and defend the Constitution against all en-
emies, foreign and domestic. It is time to begin
the process of reestablishing government of laws
under the Constitution. 1t Is time to limit the
activities and reduce the expenses of government
at Washington (Applause) The process of elm.
mating every element of weakness with which the
government has been burdened and which now
make 1t the object Of criticism should be gradual
but persistent until We can again look upon it
as the simple government Of laws, given us by the
fathers for the purpose of guaranteeing life, lib
erty, property and the pursuit Of happiness Of the
people, with the hope that our children and their
children from generation to generation may have
In the centuries as they come and go the same
guarantees and the same opportunities that we
and our ancestors have enjoyed under the Con-
stltution of the United States. (Appause.)