Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1924-04-19
Governor Richie Champions
States Rights In N. Y. Speech
Opposes Federal Taxation In Addition To Local Taxation
Makes Strong Argument Against Federal Control
Of Local Affairs In General

sovereignty of the American State
and substituting for that sacred thing
an incompetent, extravaganza, un-
American control rad.ating from
Washington.
This is resulting in a Federal in
vasion of the pockektbooks of the
taxpayers through the maintenance
OF an enormous and growing over
SONS, OF which some are not needed
at all, while others should be curtail-
ed land still others do work and spend
money for purposes which should be
turned back to the States, because
they belong to the realm of State
government, and the State can han
die them better than the nation can.
have not in mind the subject of
prohibition as the principal example.
1t is an example of course, costing
$38, 100000 year to enforce and then
failing; but it is only one example a.
mong many.
Yet on that great subject I plead
only for the right of the people Of
each State, so long as they do not
hurt their neighbors or injure society,
to determine their own conduct and
mode OF living for themselves.
Speaking for theState of Maryland
and / have no right to speak for
any other-I only say that our peo-
pie believe that we have the right
which has never been accorded US
namely, the right to our day in court,
when, las free Americans at the polls,
we may decide for ourselves whether
we want this restriction on our iber-
ties or whether we do not.
But that is only one instance of
what l mean.
In 1886 the Department Of Agrlcul-
ture was created, with an appropria-
ton of $1,134 900. This year the ap-
preparation for State aid is $85, OO,-
900.
In 1917 the Bureau of Public Roads
was created, with an appropriation to
be divided among the States of 81
$4,000. This year it is $4,000, 900,
and $100,00O,000 is asked for next
year.
In 1912 the CKildren's Bureau was
established, with an appropriation OF
| $4,000. In 1923 it was receiving
81 100000.
The Federal Trade Commission
began in 1914 with $4,000. Now il
is costing approximately $1,000,O0O.
I Federal aid for maternity and child
hygiene, begun in 1921 amounts tc
81, 100000
The Sterling-Towner bill, now be.
| fore Congress, and which would ere.
ate q Department of Education, car.
ries an appropriation of $1OO,0OO,0OO
| These are by no means all, but they
will suffice.
I am not here to question the
worthiness of any Of these purposes
But I am here to say that every one
| of them receiving Federal aid be-
longs to the States and can be accom-
plished better and more efficiently by
the States without any Federal ale
at all.
They can be accomplished by the
States Just as cheaply too. For the
money which the Federal Govern
ment distributes back among thu
States it first collects from the people
of each State and then deducts the
enormous cost of its own bureaus
and commissions before paying any
thing back at all.
| deplore the Capitalization Of these
vast millions in Washington. I de-
plore the handling of these great
sums and the momentous decisions
affecting vitality the people Of the
States by an army of Government
clerks and subordinate employees.
Only a few days ago protested te
the Senate Finance Committee-suc'
/ cessfully, l am glad to say against 9
proposed section Of the revenue b.l
of 1924 which by indirection would
have taxed the tax-exempt securities
of the States of the country to the
extent, it has been estimated, Of a.
bout $35, 000,000; and I understand
that this section was drafted by q
subordinate in Secretary Melons of.
| flee who did not realize the effect OF
what he was doing.
| I deplore the supervision and con-
troll which all this Federal aid gives
the Federal Government over matters
which concern the State alone.
l deplore the everlasting annoy.
ance of Federal inspectors and inves-
tigators, often irresponsible and in.
competent, prying into business which
ought to be private and into affairs
which ought to be personal, and exer-
cising supervision and demanding re-
ports and audits of almost every con-
ceivable kind.
Do you realize what it all costs ?
In the great State of New York the
people are required to pay the Fed
eral Government SIX times as much
per capita in taxes as their own State
Government taxes them. In Michi-
gan the people pay the Government
five times as much. In Maryland and
in Kansas four times as much. And
so it goes.
l want to see an end Of it all.
In Maryland, agriculture furnishes
employment to more than half the
people. We believe in fostering it in
every way but / had rather see it
done thru our own farmers in our
own way land raise our own money
for it, instead of contributing to the
Federal pool, and leaving tribute
there for the Federal overhead be-
fore we get anything back at all.
It is so with our roads, with the
health of our people with maternity
and child hygiene and the rest. Let