Milford chronicle., 1955-04-15
INCREASED "BIG GOVERNMENT"
is A HAZARD

ID "A HAZARD
Growth with capital &c" is fact OF
life IN the United States today. 1t looms
with stunning proportions even in a country
tnath as known nothing else for over cen
tury and a half. The population is increas-
ing, industry expanding. The wide open
spaces OF one day become the teaming shop
ping centers OF the next. In the material
way we are living in a breathtazing era.
But the other side of the coin is SOLDERING.
The reason for our being as a nation does
not show In business indexes nor in a
chrome plated standard of living. It lies in
an attitude of mind and in laws which pro-
tect the sovereignty of the individual in the
ownership Of property and in religious and
political matters beyond any material value.
80 long as he behaves himself, the indi-
Vidual can still do pretty much as he pleases
IN our country. But the pressures toward
conformity threaten to grow along with
everything else and a nation of mediocre
confrOmists would hardly be fit to carry the
responsibilities of free men, This is whv
far-slghted industrial, educational, and DO
htlcal spOkeSmen are endeavOring to pre-
serve indiVidualism and private initiative
here.
The greatest single threat to the attri-
Dutes Of free nation is the insidiOus growth
OF government. For example, as of June 80.
1889, about 100000 persons were receiv-
ing federal check every month. In 1853
fourteen years later, 100000 people were
receiving a regular monthly check from the
government. Figures such as these show
why II is OF supreme Importance to place a
ceiling on government.
In a recent address, Roland r. Hughes.
Director OF the Bureau of the Budget, made
penetrating analysis of government in bus
mess. He observes that whereas private
wealth increased only 1877 per cent from
1879 to 1913, public wealth increased 278 per
cent and that while in 1929 the public wealth
represented only 10 per cent of the national
wealth, by l948 it amounted to 27.3 per
cent OF the total. Mr.. Hughes asked, "At
what point do we enter the shadow of So
claIlsm! When government owns a quarter
of the land and wealth in the country as at
present? When it owns third? Or must
it own a half?"
Socialism is form of government. It is
not compatible with the American system
and as an academic proposition a great ma
Joflty OF our people reject it. But these same
people have come to accept the growth of
government In this country the same as thew
nave accepted the growth of any major ac-
tlVlty that has become necessary to supplv
the needs OF soaring population. AS a re-
suit, again in the words of Mr.. Hughes. ''The
q
hundred buSlneSs-type activities. It is, among
other things, the largest electric power pro-
Queer an the country, the largest insurer. the
largest lender and the largest borrower, the
largest landlord and the largest tenant. the
largest holder OF grazing land and the larg-
est holder of timber land, the largest owner
Of grain, the largest warehouse operatOr. the
largest shipOWner, and the largest truck
iieet operator. For country which is the
citadel and the worlds principal exponent
OF private enterprise and individual initia-
i've. TINS IS rather an amazing list"
Whenever the government enters a field
of activity the area of private initiative is
reduced, and the freedom which is the reason
Tor our existence as a nation is diminished.
every time the government becomes the pro-
pflet0r OF business, a source of tax reve-
nue. IS lost and must be made up at the ex-
pense OF remaining taxpayers. Oddly enough.
government generally goes into business, not
at the behest of crusading socialists. but as a
matter OF convenience or expediency. 1t
started making rope in 1884 because the
NAVY department felt cOrdage from private
suppIers was inferior. The Post Office De
2arCment has insisted on government pro-
ducJl0n OF locks used on untold thousands of
mail bags on the grounds that the security
Of the bags might be compromised bv com
merclal manufacture of locks. So it goes, ad
infnitum.
A recent example is a proposal to in
crease the sizes of packages that can be car
RED by parcel post, thus in effect further
putting the Post Office Department into
commercial business This would, Of course.
qg.isplace private taxpaying express facili-
ties.
In political quarters, efforts to limit the
governments growing domination over our
lives and let private enterprise carry on.
nave been given the misleading title of give
away programs. One thing is certain. In
the midst of our spectacular material gains
we cannot afford to lose sioh+ of the mean
ZIG q onr CTS o1ee rs a nation.