The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1928-10-25
SMITH BUTTING A STONE
WALL.

men Governor OllllIu dSSetllS lIlC
Republican administration as inetfi-
Gent extravagant and non-cOnstruc-
tive, as he did in his speech of Tues
day night, he enters the realm of the
fantastic. 1t is piffie. 1t is the YER
lest twaddle. Intelligent men are
fooled by no such nonsense. They
know what has taken place at Wash
ington. They realize that the last
seven years have witnessed business
management beyond compare. While
other nations have been struggling to
get on their feet, the United States
has gone ahead growing and prosper
ing and leading the world.
A non-constructive administration,
Ell? Tell that to the multitudes whose
taxes have been reduced and they will
laugh at you. Four relationship
ty per cent of taxable burden lifted
from incomes under $4,000 year
and twenty-five per cent from the
higher schedules. This is just mis-
management, is it? Nothing construc-
tive in the fact that the National debt
has been cut by six and half billions,
while under Governor Smith the eX-
penses of the New York State govern
ment has been increased from $751;
100000 to $206,000000. Nothing con-
structive in the tremendous growth of
our exports which, under the wise de-
rection of Herbert Hoover, have added
one billion dollars to our sales abroad.
Nothing constructive in the settlement
of the debts owed us by foreign ma
tons. Just happened. Oh, what's the
use? Al Smith is either not capable
of understanding the tremendous la
Dor and efficient management brought
to bear upon the restoration of the
country after the war, or else he is
deliberately deceptive.
The chief complaint of the Governor
seems to be that the Government is
paying large sums in rentals of build
ings for the conduct of its business,
notably the postotfices. That COM
plant has been as old as the everlast-
ing hills. No one would willingly pay
rental for house if he could own it.
But the Government is dealing with
countless cities, towns and villages
1t has always built when Congress
would provide the funds. Not so many
years ago the pork barrel" was
favorite institution until it became a
national scandal. We do things better
these days. Right now there is a
constructive program in progress. But
it doesn't please the Democratic can
didate, or else he has never heard Of
it. What he seems to promise is
postoffice building for every town
right off the bat. But to clean up the
situation at once would require loan
of some billions. 1t would add vastly
to the public debt. This fact doesn't
seem to have occurred to him. But,
considering his own administration in
his own Commonwealth, debt and eX-
pense are nothing to him.
He complains, too, that while Con-
gress has planned to spend S325, O0O,-
900 on the Mississippi Valley devel-
opments, the immediate amount APP
propriated is only S15,000,000. Not
being an engineer, and not possessed
of any accurate information whatever
concerning waterways-he is densely
ignorant on that subject-he fails to
understand that intricate engineering
problems are involved, and that the
amount available is sufficient until
Congress convenes and is presented
with the engineering reports.
However, the Governor pushes in
where angels would fear to tread For
isn't he the great |? How often do
we hear from the great /? Il will do
this" and 81 will do that" And so
breezily-the way that trained politi-
clans have-'I promise to face all of
these problems" and Il will settle.
them and get them out of the way"
We wonder just how. He would set
tie the farm question by handing it
over to a commission. He would set
tie the tariff in exactly the same way.
What a great love he has for commits
sions upon which he can unload every
thing!
But it isn't so easy as all that.There
is Congress. 1t holds the pursestrings
to the nations treasure chest. 1t de-
termines the amounts to be expended,
whether for postoffices floods, water
way developments or other projects.
And when the Governor talks airily
about recognizing "the old Govern
ment," it might be we'll for him to re-
member that he is bucking the meth
DDS of a Secretary of the Treasury