The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-12

| sAAVoS WAAA6O al WAASA VIC dlC AAltcI
ested.
For 20 years now has our state gov
eminent been run under the label O
Republicanism and under that labe
we have branched out in experiment.
which have caused strife and dissen
sion, jealousies and envy, and the get
ting away from activities of purel!
governmental nature, and neither
Democrats as such, nor Democrat,
policies, have been responsible fol
these activities
When the State Democratic Com.
mittee convened at Bismarck it asked
me to indicate by ideas of such planks
as should be incorporated in the plat.
form. I submitted the following pro.
posals in writing:
Generally speaking there should be
restriction. perhaps should say con.
traction. rather than expansion in
governmental activities. Boards anC
bureaus are not only expensive luxu-
ries, but they are the source of special
privileges and abuses which could
never happen thru the medium of d.
rect legislation. What we need is less
government, less paternalism. less
bureaucracy. and nearer adherence
to strictly governmental duties.
MY conception of the ideal govern
ment Is that which limits its activities
to purely governmental functions. ever
bearing in mind that agriculture is
the basic inductry upon which OUT
prosperity depends and that legisla-
ton calculated to foster and promote
that industry should always be en-
couraged.
The wholesale submission at gen.
|eral election of initiated measures
covering wide variety of subjects
was not contemplated in the adoption
|of the initiative and referendum, and
such practice is an abuse calculated
to lead to confusion of issues and
poorly considered and ill-advised leg
iSlatiOn."
The last clause was directed to the
proposal of my opponent that no less
than Is different initiative measures
be submitted to the voters at the No
vember election. but which proposal
am happy to say level-headed ma
jority of the leaders of my opponents
party not only refused to approve OF
but many condemned in no uncertain
terms. And the force Of our oppo-
sition to the indiscriminate submis-
sion Of initiative measures seems to
be demonstrated by the measure now
proposed to promptly amend the ini-
tiated law relating to chattel mort
cages adopted at the June primary
These proposals MADE by me were
adopted in substance and substan-
tally in my own language and
Incorporated in the Democratic plat.
form where they may be found.
Stands on Platform
I, therefore, stand squarely on the
platform and particularly on those
favoring the reduction of government.
tai activities and the encouraging Of
legislation to promote agriculture.
To me these thoughts thus enun.
ciated in the platform are the found.
alton upon which we should build oul
governmental structure. They are thu
ground work upon which the super
structure of state government shoule
be erected. They should be funda'
mental principles always to be KEEP
in mind and the wisdom and prop
riety of activities out of harmony with
these principles should be doubted
and questioned and only pursued
when necessary to meet some exigency
or some unusual condition requiring
solution and which appears impossible
of solution by means in harmony with
these fundamental principles.
The functions of government are
what the words imply. They are to
govern, to exercise authority and to
administer the laws. If we 60 beyond
this. we so beyond the true functions
of government and We delve in af-
fairs not OF governmental nature
and bring into politics those matters
which have no place in politics.
The machinery of strict government
is not adapted to the performance OF
nom governmental pursuits and con-
sequently, when government INDUCES
in activities other than of govern
mental nature. we are compelled to
manufacture new machinery for the
performance of such activities anC
this we have to do apparently through
the medium of boards. bureaus anG
commissions and to such are neces-
Sarily delegated the power of max
ing rules and regulations for the per.
Torrance of their functions and fol-
the conduct of those who, from choice
or necessity come into contact with
the activities of such departments.
We have permitted our government.
to indulge in SO many activities no,
of purely governmental nature that
we are already the victims of what i!
known as bureaucracy. In this state
alone I am told there are no less thar
AZ bureaus and commissions by actua
count. The most of these are un.
necessary for strictly governmental
purposes. Understand. say unneces.
sary for strictly governmental pur.
poses. Most OF them are now neces.
sary under our policies of delving ir
matters not Of governmental nature
which has grown to such proportion
since We adopted the idea of engag.
ing in business experiments which
has been so fruitful of added activ
tiles under the administration O
those posing as Republicans.
Cost Taxpayers Money
All of these departments are con
Quoted at expense to the taxpayer
and every dollar of this expense in tn
last analysis in the state of Nortl
Dakota has to come out OF the sol
We find ourselves taxed on every kin,
of activity. These taxes are In addi
ton to the direct taxes which we pa
on our land and personal property
They are taxes which are added t
the purchase price Of the things W
buy and deducted from the price Q
the things we sell. And now on
worthy opponent proposes an adde
tax Of no small proportion known q
the sales tax.
But what is even more serious. in
stead of being governed by thos
whom we elect to office: instead g
being governed by laws enacted b
those whom we elect and who are di