Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-30
P'!6i!ESoaG:!:n!:!1
The New-Dsy Dentifrice

power and communications INTO IS
systems, each ending at the boundary
of its own State? Whichever we do
will crack the timbers of our Govern
ment.
IF we pile these 10000. 100000 of
business and 100000 employees upon
the Government, one of two things
happens. Either the $50 members of
Congress or the hundreds of members
of State legislatures become their real
boardS of directors, or, as it has been
claimed, these great businesses could
be placed in the hands of non-partisan
commissions or government corpora
tons. somehow free from politics and
the dead hand of bureaucracy. Neither
alternatives will work. If we were to
set up such agencies so free from re-
straint of the Congress and legisla-
lures as to accomplish these objects,
we would have created gigantic des-
potisms controlling the well-being of
our whole people-and incidentally.
controlling the very election of our Of
ficials. AS n matter of fact. We can
do nothing of this kind If we are to
maintain a democracy We can not
have a democracy and deprive our
elected representatives of their con-
troll of government investment. their
power to fix salaries and wages their
independence in the investigation of
the conduct of public officials. The
reservation of any or all of these pow
ers renders any kind of commission
subservient to the members of legisla-
tive bodies. no matter what the theory
is. When they are subservient to
elected officials, politics will be their
daily need. Above all, the members Of
our legislative bodies represent dis
tricts, states, parties and groups of
opinion. Each member is expected by
his constituents to look out for their
local or group interests first. They
have to be elected upon the results
they obtain. craftsmanship. "log-rolling.'
accompaniment of administration. No
great business can be efficiently ad-
ministered by such board or such
basis of choice. We shall convert
business into politics and surrender
efficiency for spoils. If we distributed
| railway extensions as we distribute
public buildings: IL we located electric
power plants as we locate reclamation
projects; If we divided up public indus
tries generally as we share river and
harbor improvements and army and ma
Wy stations-then as surely as night
follows the day facilities will be waste.
fully provided for those districts OF
groups which are politically strong
and they will not be adequately pro.
vided for the districts or groups that
are politically weak.
ALSO these legislative bodies would
have to deal with group pressures
striving for favors in rates. The rela
tive rates will affect the prosperity OF
every city and every section. every
group and every industry. States
counties. farmers. town jewellers. every
group of manufacturers win press
! their representatives to secure an ad.
| vantage. and legislators will inevitably
| honestly favor their constituents
Every experience to date indicates that
| the taxpayer will pay for the resulting
concessions. Because the Government
had not the courage to increase rail
way rates during the war the taxpayer
made up 100000 900 operation dc.
| felt. A neighboring Government Yield.
, ed last year TO the demand for lower
rates on the Government railways; II
| is paying the deficit from taxes today
| by this vast venture that Ii pro
posed to US we would at once increase
the total of national and local office
! up ~ dDoul V.VVU,UVV,UWV. Ht
rightful interest of this group is IN
higher pay constantly better condi
tons of service. and better standards
of living. The rightfdl public interes,
will be to hold down rates and taxes
These interests will clash. and theil
clash must fight itself out not or
grounds OF economic bargaining he
tween labor and employer, but in the
political arena. The voting strength
Of this mass of officeholders, theil
wives and dependents. will be over 2:
per cent OF the whole. It lis the bal
ance of political power between par
ties in every district Either ever,
member of the legislative bodies VIII
be elected to do the bidding Of this
bureaucracy or will be elected by 9
public In rebellion against It.
! mo commission or any body Of adj
! ministrators can carry on these vas
operations efficiently in this politica
maelstrom. We shalt lose most of oul
| democracy in the storm.
Higher Rates to the Public
| Unless tho Federal or local govern
nents can give the public lower rates
there is no use undertaking the
| gamble.
IF the Government IN to reduc,
rates it must do so either by the saw.
ing of private profits or bY reducing
operating expenses or jumping them or
the taxpayer. During the past fouI
years the railways have on, average
earned less than 4 per cent on the
G. c. valuation. Even IL this value
were reduced by Is per cent. the,
would have earned only. 5 per cent
Our electrical utilities care regulated
at earnings between and 8 per cent
upon their invested capital. The Gov.
eminent could not borrow tEei huge
sums necessary at less than per cent
I'm sale to the Government TIKI
constitutional requirements would fol
various legal reasons. probably result
In much larger sum than the 10000.
100000 of present valuations by com
missions and others.
Moreover the wastsfuI distribution
Of the f59.e00.600 OF capital inyestet
annually IN the Post oAsfe.s Reclafna
tion Service, Shipping Board. rivers
and harbors and roads. would not be