The Ely miner., 1938-02-24


Too Many overlook real is
LoDs sues in national
affairs. M any
times they stimulate the hound that
overruns the rabbits. That is the
reason why so often a new man in
public life suddenly rises to leader
ship. He has taken hold of bad
situation that is right under our
feet, offered a constructive solu-
ton and has dealt with an immi-
nent condition rather than schemed
for reelection through political
fence building.
These facts lead directly into a
bit of current history. It will be
recalled how Bruce Barton cam
paigned through congested sections
of New York's Manhattan island for
an unexpired term in the house of
representatives last fall. About all
that Mr.. Barton said of consequence
in his campaign speeches was that
there are too many laws. think
that is obvious. When he was cam
paigning on that line, he was speak
ing for great masses of inarticulate
citizens.
But Mr.. Barton went further. He
announced his intention to seek re-
peal of one federal law a week un-
til there is some semblance of rea-
son in the structure of federal laws.
Now, of course, Mr.. Barton is
very new in politics. He had been
keeping his nose to the grindstone
of business. He knew only what
other persons outside of politics
knew, namely, that high pressure
minorities, sour pusses and nit wits
were getting one law after another
through congress, and that, in the
end, those laws would be ruinous to
the country as a whole. Whether
Mr.. Barton thought he would sue
ceed or whether he recognized the
fact that he was only making a
start, it does not matter. Bruce
Barton has taken hold of an obvi-
Gus issue in national affairs and it
is not outside of the realm of prob
abilities that he will "go places"
with his program. Thus far, it must
be said that Mr.. Barton has sue
ceeded only in getting a dozen re-
peal bills into the house commit
tees through introduction in the
house. None has been acted on.
Few probably will be acted on-if
the house runs true to form. That
is to say, Mr.. Barton is a Republi-
can and the house is controlled by
Democrats and New Dealers. Nat
urally, they will give no opportunity
for the opposition to gain credit for
anything, no concessions at all.
The significance of the Barton
program goes much deeper, howev-
er, and it is of that significance that
I want to write. Through more
than twenty years as an observer
of national affairs here in Washing
ton, obviously I have witnessed
many issues develop, or be created,
or be discovered. 1t seems to me
that the really important national
issues are those that develop, as
the Barton program is developing.
That means the issue is fundamen-
tai; it means, further, that there is
no necessity for building the issue,
and it means as well that 1t in
wolves vital questions of policy.
AS I said above, there are too
many laws, too many don'ts and
very few dos. Restriction and reg
ulation always breed more restric-
ton and regulation. The Roosevelt
administration has been constantly
saying don't" in the shape of laws
and the tremendous majority in con-
gress has been giving President
Roosevelt almost unlimited power
to do as he wants to do beyond
the "don't" legislation. So the Bar
ton program would restore a great
deal of freedom to the people them
selves and would restore to con-
gress much of the power that it
has given to the President. To car
ry that thought further, then, the
Barton program actually seems to
me to propose saving only those
laws that the progress of civiliza-
ton shows to be sound and work
able.
We might consider some of the
statutes which Mr.. Barton wants to
repeal. There is
Time to Cut for example the
Then, Out so-called Thomas
amendment - one
of the most aSSinine and dangerous
pieces of legislation ever to get on
the statute books. The legislation,
forced through by Senator Thomas
of Oklahoma in May of 1888, gave
the President the power to issue
S., ,000, 900, 900 in paper currency. l
do not see how anybody can regard
it as anything but authority to issue
printing press money. Of course, it
never has been used by President
Roosevelt and probably never will
be, but the authority to 60 into print
ing press imitation exists and that is
the danger. How, for instance, can
you or I or anyone else feel sure
that the money we have in our
pocket or the few dollars in the
bank is going to be worth anything
tomorrow when the President of the
United States, by one stroke of the
pen, could turn loose a flood Of
worthless money.
Mr.. Barton also seeks liquidation
of flock Of government agencies.
Some Of them are 20 years old or