Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-26
WOULD REJECT THE PorrAeE

Evidently the trend toward bureau
cratic control of the affairs of the
people, the tendency more
and more to make the State mere
figure-head through permitting the
Federal Government to take over the
duties and obligations. which the
fathers wisely allotted to the States,
is exciting more general concern.
The issue is being squarely put
up to us whether we shall, like Esau.
barter our birthright for a mess Of
pottage, or resist the savory appeal
of the bureaucratic brides thrust
under our noses. For that is what
many of those offers of Federal
money for State affairs amount to,
dollar of Federal money-with
Federal supervision tied to it-for
every dollar of State money. Not
that all these propositions deserve
rejection in toto, but there Is not
one of them, which should not be
jealousy scrutinized by the State.
That is what the organizers of the
Rhode Island Tax League propose
to have done. The League opposes
the idea that this country Is to be
a democracy with virtually one CEN
trail government, ruling at a distance
over our police powers. our social
legislation and in other ways, all
of which have a tendency to bureau
tyrannies and extravaganza and I'M
mistakable weakening both of the
ability and the desire of the people
to govern themselves.
They would have their State
petition to be heard before Congress
on all proposed measures involving
joint levies and disbursements and
so defend their State rights against
Federal trespassiny.
So strongly are these proponents
opposed that they believe the State
should refuse to be coerced for the
sake Of the dollars the Federal Gov
eminent would turn over to it. The
inheritance tax is one of the in
stances cited for illustration. They
say:
Under the so-called State Aid
enactments, the Federal Government
Is establishing bureaus in Washing
ton which are imposing their will
upon the States in the field of agri-
nd1
Mobilization, maternity hygiene, in
FAINT welfare work and other activi-
ties. 1t is beside the point to say
that the States are left free to accept
or reject the Federal aid offered by
Congress. The practice of Congress
in offering a dollar to a State for
every dollar appropriated by the
State when the States submit to the
supervision and control of Federal
bureaus in formulating and executing
a programme of State work in effect
destroys the State as a free agent
in carrying out such a programme.
"In 1916 money appropriated for
State aid by Congress amounted to
but $6,500,000 but in recent years
such appropriations have averaged
over $100,000,000."
The iNterrelations of Federal and
State spheres of activity are being
so closely knit under modern condi-
lions and facilities for intercourse
that centralized control becomes the
line Of least resistance, while at the
same time becoming the way to
corruption of the federated activi-
ties. There is need of uniformity,
even in many instances of standard
ization, but not at the expense of the
individuality which is the inspiration
to individual and community effort.
The country is fortunate in having
at the head of it's administration a
man, who not only is capable of
foreseeing the mischief that is afoot,
who clearly comprehends that toward
which it is leading, but who has the
courage to declare his objection. He
should receive the unfaltering sup
port of straight-thinking people, who
do not wish to see the government
Of our affairs degenerate into a
bureaucracy, to which future voters,
if they happen to retain the rights of
suffrage, will helplessly look for aid
while they toll to provide the money
with which to pay the bills, includ-
ing the bureaucrats.