The Ocala banner., 1922-05-19

| ties of the livings and doings of half
those in their own states is wholly
wanting; and many great American
states are but little better known to
them than are the lands of our anti
podes.
! We Of the south, were wont to de-
nounce the carpet-baggers, who had
no knowledge or appreciation of the
needs of our people. The measure of
such knowledge should be the true
measure of the extent of the power
to tax our pockets and to regulate
our social intercourse. Tested by
this standard l fear that all senator's
and congressman are now carpet-bag-
gers.
When the doctrine of states rights
was given prominence by both north
ern and southern states in the first
eighty years of our national history
lit was, in my opinion, generally de-
void of true merit and usually invok-
ed for purposes destructive of our ma
tional life.
But the question now presented
does not rest upon any mere theory,
as it raises the point of the utter
inadequacy of the present plan of rep
resentation, if Congress is to con-
tinue policies for heavy taxation and
pass laws to regulate all our affairs.
II these things are persisted in the
permanent stability of our govern
ment is endangered, for Congress is
not sufficiently representative. To add
to its numbers promises more of evil
than of good, for we would only add
to its confusion; life, industry and
business vary too largely in states
remote from one another for us to
hope for Washington to reconcile the
|irreconcilable. Our several state legis-
latures find quite enough difficulty in
coping with the abundant obstacles
thus arising within their own borders.
especially in the older states, and in
those containing a large variety of
industries. These industries are our
national life, but national policies can
never yield with that elasticity which
is vitally necessary. as industry may
languish, or change, in many states,
while prosperity and stability may pre-
vail in other vast areas.
The immense numbers of our for
eign born and illiterate only indicate
the need for closer contact between
the law makers and such citizens, as
their ideals and standards of life
should be well understood by him who
has their interests and the good of
his country at heart.
There is now abundant reason to
assert that our national policies for
admission of foreign emigrants have
not reflected for some years past the
wishes of our people, and to the lack
of knowledge of our congressman
about actual results from heavy in
fiuence of foreigners, as are manifest
in states remote from them, may
fairly be attributed to their failure
to protect us from this great peril.
But the time of every Congressman
is so completely occupied in consid-
ering laws to regulate the petty de-
tails OF our lives and activities that
its true functions are neglected; in
stead of shutting off all further for
eign immigration ten years ago it med
dies with, dabbles in and botches I'D
class contests, which had best be
fought out to finish by the parties
thereto before they spread and per-
meate our national life under the
soothing warmth of enervating and
procastinating governmental jugglery.
We had better use a few platoons
OF troops now, in order to more clear
ly define the constitutional rights of
Americans, than brigades and whole
army corps later An executive like
Jackson, Cleveland or Roosevelt.
would clarity the atmosphere in few
words and take much work off of
Congress. Railroad labor and coal
strikers would not forever monopo;ize
the thoughts of Congress which is
allowing this, our native land, to
become nation of strange and alien
peoples.
In New York City alone are nearly
as many foreign born as there are
inhabitants in Switzerland, of these
more than million are Russians.
My friends, here is presented, in
deed, problem, as about one-third
OF our people are either negroes, or
foreign born: millions of tue latter
do not speak English. but converse
in fifty dialects and languages, and
read their newspapers printed under
the star spangled banner in thirty
different languages from Icelandic to
Hindoo.
Sincerely yours