The times-news., 1938-02-01
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
IN THE GRASP OF A FEDERAL OCTOPUS


These As American states are in the tentacles
of federal octopus which is striving to crush the
last vestiges Of their rights The Roosevelt admin
istration which wears the label of the Democratic
national party notwithstanding its radical depar-
lures from the fundamental principles Of that party
has been moving with might and main to bestow
upon the federal government rights which belong
to the individual states And the Roosevelt admin
istration has been assisted in its designs and pur-
poses by most of the southern senators and repre-
sentativeS, by most of the southern governors.
Bureaucracy, so greatly expanded by the Roose-
welt administration in repudation of its pledges and
promises during the campaign of 1882, fattens upon
centralized power, but the masses of the American
people are made to deprive themselves for the feed
ing of their servants The appetite of these bureau
cratic children of political octopus is Unsuitable
The more they eat, the more they demand. Inc
more they take, the less the masses have. IN the
language of Sterling E. Edmunds, of the ST. Louis
Bar, this octopus has developed in the scores OF
powerful administrative agencies now operating
from Washington, consuming hundreds OF millions
of taxpayers money, many without any consutu-
tonal warrant for their existence, and progressive
y destroying the independence initiative and hap
piness of the American pepole in effort to stand
ardze them from birth to death"
A farmer came into these offices and said that
he did not know what Washington would allow him
to do He said that he did not know what, under
the federal regulations, he could plant, nor how
much he could plant Not all who get their living
from the land have benefited from the political
panaceas prescribed by the doctors in the depart
ment of agriculture. Against federal bounties re-
ceived by farmers are the higher costs of goods,
wares and stuffs they must buy. Their bounties
have been insufficient to the higher prices
caused by the Hawley- -Smoot tariff law which the
Roosevelt administration pledged to revise
when it came into office.
This farmer said that he and other farmers of
his type are we'll aware of their danger from the
federal octopus. Washington bureaucracy inter-
fered with cotton cultivation and distribution. 1t
said it was bringing better prices for the cotton pro-
ducer The immediate result of meddling cost the
South the control of the world cotton market and
directly encouraged the production of cotton in
foreign countries. Instead of high cotton prices,
producers are alarmed because of the low cotton
prices and lack of demand for their staple by for
eign spnners The federal octopus has caught the
cotton farmer in its tentaceS and has been crush
ing him.
If the federal government shall be empowered to
regulate the wages and hours of persons in indus
try. the southern manufacturers will be crushed
by the federal octopus, for they will be shOrn of
their natural advantages for the benefit of manu-
facturers who cannot compete without govern
ment's interference in their behalf There is no
question that the wages and hours bill, for which
President Roosevelt is pressing is a serious en-
croachment on state rights no question that the
Souths conditions are disregarded by the bills pro-
ponents The southern senators and representatives
have been aroused to the pers in this measure, but
it appears that of the southern governors the
governor of South Carolina among them, will
ling that the South shall be hugged tightly by the
octopus through this highly discriminatory political
scheme of throttling southern industry.
The News and Courier says these things and puts
its people on notice because it believes in the fun
damental principles of the Democratic party and
in the vital Importance of state rights in preserva
ton of this union in its separate parts. No less an
authority than Franklin Delano Roosevelt said the
things The News and Courier is saying now He
said them while he governor of the state Of
New York and on the hustings as candidate for
the presidency in 1882. The News and Courier
fears the octopus Franklin Delano Roosevelt feared
That octopus has been made much more formidable
by Mr.. Roosevelt through performances he was
pledged to relegate to the lmbo.-Charleston News
and Courier.