The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-08-25
Along the Potomac
to Washington
by }. Glenn Bean

As we read about the "inAuence
artists" Give percenters' and others
who seem to be making huge sums bv
tradine with certain officials of the
Executive Branch, it would be wise
for us to consider some words by a
noted student of government who
lived and did his best work 175 years
ago.
Alexander Hamilton first Secretary
Of the Treasury in America writing
in the Fcderalist, pointed to the evils
of an Unstable government-and our
government has become noted in re-
cent years for the changes and inno-
vations it has brought to pass.
Hamilton said:
"Anothcr effect of public instabili-
ty is the unreasonable advantage it
gives to the sagacious, the enterpris-
ing and the moncyed few over the in
dustrious and uniformed mass of the
people.
Every new regulation concerning
commerce or revenues, or in any
way affecting the value of the diff
fercnt species Of property, presents
new harvest to those who watch
the change, and can trace its conse-
qucpces; a harvest, reared not by
themselves, but by the tolls and cares
of the great body Of their fellow-citi-
zens."
There always have been agents of
private interests in Washington
since the government moved to the
Potomac site 200 years ago. But not
until recent years have they been
able to reap the harvest" for which
many of them have craved through
the instability and interchangeable
ness of the government.
With thousands of agencies making
new rules and regulations, it is in
evitable that shrewd men would be
able to find out who could be ''infu-
cnced,' and who could not-and how
hest to do the "infuencing." The
practice of Influence" has been most
lucrative for literally thousands of
men, many of them former govern
ment administrators who built up
little cliques inside agencies, then re-
signed to reap the harvest" by
representing private clients who were
bewildered by the changes or cowed
by threats of bureaucrats.
Tn short, a government that has
grown as fast and as implanted as
ours in recent years has been an
open invitation to willy operators to
make millions. The fault primarily
lies with those who have been part
and parcel Of the unparalleled and
unconscious growth Of the govern
ment, for, in effect, they made inevi-
table the rise Of "influence artists,
and five percenters" on a scale
never before thought possible.
Every person who can read knows
that literally thousands of persons
have made huge sums practicing "in-
fluence" in Washington. Many of
them were taking advantage Of
special knowledge for their own sell
fish interests while openly and
ostensibly trying to better the lot of
the industrious and uniformed
mass Of the people"
The House of Representatives has
cut the appropriations request by the
Department of State and the Presi-
dent to implement the Atlantic Pact.
With a deficit Of at least So million
already staring Uncle Sam in the
face for this present fiscal year, it is
time that the Congress needed the
advice of those who have been warn
ing that our greatest danger of col
lapse lies not from without but from
within.
We simply have appropriated too
much money already this year, both
for domestic and for foreign spend
ing. In view of the fact that the ma
ton has Joined the Atlantic Pact, it
might ne Wise W IuC up q llpliliiis'i
sum to assure the other nations in
with us that we mean business. But
to spend another billion and half
dollars, on top of all the Marshall
Aid Plan funds and other eXpendi-
lures in Europe to which we are COM
mitted, would seem to be the height
of folly.
Unless we start cutting somewhere,
it is likely that huge deficit already
in sight will become larger every day
Congress stays in session. l have
voted for every reasonable cut pro-
posed in virtually every appropri-
alton bill, but in vain, so far.
Under The Dome
The Corps of Engineers advised me
that a survey of the flood wall at
Kitzmiller would be made with the
view of making necessary repairs
and improvement. The wall is in bad
condition and | am hopeful that the
Corps of Engineers will take prompt
action and approve the request.
ne W N "a a A ~ n HRH