The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1938-07-21
Ell|!I,|!| :(:{Ias Interpreted
|!( WILL |5 l|S|z la1

..
r.o Many central statistical
1880. board the other
As day, in which he
..d IN effect why there is need for
r.nv .'official reports" from In
,,du.ls and corporations engaged
s.,,iness. The Presidents letter
.s,..t;d 4 feeling that. II there are
rr.ny reports as complaints have
x..,osed, something ought to be
lcns about It.
nj. now Mr.. Rice's job to find out
I'm. and where, and why concern
- these foods Of reports which
.evernment demands. But how
.bout me finding out, too. I thought!
,tarted on the job like a bird dog
.h,oush the bush. 1t did not take
,one for me to realize that had set
,.vseH to a task that is likely to
..c,,pv Mr.. Rice and his staff Of
..veral hundred perhaps a year to
.,.emble an answer. learned a
lot Of things, however, and that is
the reason I am writing about "ofh-
eial reports at this time.
Speaking generally. at first, I can
cav that never in all history has
mere existed condition such as
s,,.;ress men and women now face,
and Of course, within the last few
,.ars farmers have had to make
ant reports, too. The reason for
The statement that the condition is
worse now is that the situation rep
resents a growth. Year after year.
seneration after generation, sue
eeeding Presidents and succeeding
eonsresses have added to the func-
Hons Of the national government.
Government has gone into new
Aelds, taken on new obligations, new
commitments, increased its scope Of
refulation Of this and that and the
cher. As these functions have in
creased, more and more reports
have been ordered and required;
more facts have been needed. and.
h addition, bureaucrats have rele-
gated to themselves additional and
manticipated powers. Now, what
Ne have is a tangled mess, a Shiny
octopus whose tentacles reach into
every corner and nook and Granny
d the nation.
Before considering some Of the
horrible details (Which are horrible
only because they are so general in
ipplication), it seems to me we can
wen consider who Is responsible. /
mentioned above how succeeding
Presidents and congresses have ex-
banded the functions Of government.
Those Presidents and members Of
the congresses were elected by the
voters. The campaigns, in nearly
every instance, included har-
ranguing for establishment Of some
new agency, passage Of some law
to drive money changers out Of the
temple; to prevent grinding the lit
ue fellow, the poor, into the earth;
soregulate monopolistic business; to
care for the aged after their lives
q useful work had been spent; to
collect new taxes here and there;
nassure the agricultural commune
Va parity price for its products
thousand and one things were
eampaigned for or against. So the
people voted and elected Presi-
dent or senator or representa-
1--WE. They also elected a governor
and the various officials of their
STATE wherein legislature operated
Is does congress for the country.
II has not mattered, therefore,
Wnether there has been Democrat
va Republican in the White House,
except in the matter Of degree to
which the new laws have been en-
ac'eo. The growth has gone on just
me same. Every time a politician
eonceived an idea to get votes, he
.dmpalgned on it-and new law
resulted. With the new law came
slotner deluge of official reports"
~ general way, therefore, the
W., .u.ers must accept some response
O'n'y. But the chief responsibility
uius' rest with members Of the house
suo senate and the various Presi-
uenss who have served in their turn.
WY Because no one can be ex-
pec.eo TO understand fully this gil
saanc machine called government
s.iess mat person has had an op-
,sOt'unl1y to study the machine. The
lyman has not had that chance.
=. shsesidents and congresses have had
NE chance. ~
!, ~ get down to the details; that
/" relate some of the incidents
RI. which had become
" Consun1erknown to the Pres
Pays ident and which
ia. =. =, resulted in his let
vii, - Mr. Rice, We might begin
cn.a ~ taxes. The head of a dairy
,,.. apany which operates in three
I I,s.ss reported to his stockholders
bssas mat in one year his firm had
to,., eompelled to make and file a
Sa. VI ILLS separate tax reports.
n. !, company maintained a staff
y,,io,, u sole purpose of handling the
tba ~. reports that had to 90 to
men,. lai government, the govern
comn, ol the states in which the
shss ny operated and the cities