OCR Text |
Show THE CITIZEN 4 can purchase a ticket to the factory, stop at the best hotel for a on the deal, purchase an automobile, drive it home and save money and yet they want higher freight rates. all our products High freight rates is a good thing to help keep at home, which naturally eliminates competition among the farmers. We say, give the automobile truck drivers a crack at freight down to where they become will soon and rates tumbling hauling, long- ADMITS FAILURE. The New York World of last Sunday carried a story quoting William E. Pussyfoot Johnson, the former dry radical, as stating that man has a right to drink if he pleases, and can obtain the necessary liquor. It is certainly surprising to hear this fanatic finally admit that the pople have some rights and to hear him say that the Volstead Act has done more harm than good. This ardent advocate of the drys lost an eye, and nearly his life, in England, preaching restricted world rights and the abolition of liquor. He has traveled all over the and no doubt in his travels has come in contact with all classes of people and has finally come to the conclusion that a man can be a man and still take a drink. The steady stream of adverse comment on prohibition which has come to him in wet Europe from this country has had its effect on him, and The World says that he is more cautious in speech and without warrants, than when he conducted raids single-hande- d and much less emphatic in manner. Johnson is forced to admit that there is as much liquor consumed in our larger cities as ever. Drinking is a matter of personal tastes, he said. A man has a right to drink if he pleases. But this doesnt say that I do not believe society should protect itself from the liquor interests and safeguard certain members of the social body. If the Volstead Act is bad let them repeal it at the next Congress by a majority vote. Repealing the Prohibition Amendment, however, would be more difficult; but there is no need to repeal this amendment if the people do not desire to continue the Volstead Act. The prohibition amendment merely makes constitutional the passage of such laws as the Volstead Act. Repeal that and you have your liquor back. It is thus seen that Mr. Johnson has changed greatly recently and now points out how easy it is to get our liquor if we wish it, and he admits that all who wish have a perfect right to drink it. When the commissioners reorganized in Ogden, lately, a reform wave struck them and as a result a general cleanup is being made and at present it is difficult to get a drink, it is said, in that city nor is any gambling allowed. Even games that were used by the Elks at their circus to make money for club purposes were closed as gambling devices. During the recent stock show there was a demand for liquor and it is reported that automobiles were kept running to this city for liquor which was taken to Ogden. The bootleggers here reaped a rich harvest during the week as a result of the Ogden closed shop, but the people drank their liquor just the same. It is said that as high as $50,000 worth of liquor was purchased on some days and carried to the Junction City. In the mantime the taxpayers are taxed heavily for the enforcement of the law and the bootleggers rake in the money. It is just such things that make people disgusted with prohibition. Before prohibition, those under age could not secure liquor, but today the bootlegger will sell to anyone, regardless of age, resulting in great juvenile delinquency. If President Coolidge should travel incognito, visiting several of our larger cities and see what is carrying on behind the scenes lie would be the first to advocate the eradication of the present mess which the Volstead Act has saddled upon the people. RISING ECONOMY. Notwithstanding the efforts of economy by President Coolidge, over 20,000 employes have been added to government positions since 1920. On the face of it, it appears ridiculous, and it is being claimed by some of our representatives that at least $500,000,000 can be lopped off the expense account by instituting business principles in our national government. Toward this end, Representative Martin L. Davey of Ohio, has introduced H. R. 4798, which if passed will give the President of the United States temporary power to reorganize government servia;, provide for the removal of unnecessary and useless government ployes, officials, divisions, bureaus, and commissions, and provide for the temporary appointment of an Advisory Reorganization Board. In speaking for his bill, Davey says this bill gives the President autocratic power for a period of two years to reorganize the executive departments of the government in a complete businesslike manner. It is my earnest judgment that the enactment of this bill and its faithful execution will save for the overburdened taxpayers of the United States at least $500,000,000 a year. It is enough to retire the national debt in 40 years without counting interest. It is enough to provide such a generous reduction in taxes as to really make the American people happy and reestablish their confidence in the efl etj ciency and wisdom of their government. No private business, however well capitalized, could survive 30 days under the same cumbersome, slipshod, inefficient, and hopelessly extravagant condition as that of the United States Government. It Would be easily possible to dispense with at least 100,000 unnecessary government employes, and save not only their annual salaries but also the overhead expense to house them and furnish them with the equipment and supplies with which to work, or, rather, to put in their time. It is my judgment, however, that the pending reorganization bill, admitting the full sincerity and fidelity of the joint committee on reorganization, does nothing more than scratch the surface of the problem and can not possibly go to its root. What is needed is the creation of one-ma- n power for a limited period, vested in the President, which should be sufficiently broad and unrestricted to enable him to do a real job of reorganization. I want to give to the President of the United States the same degree of power that I would give to the president of a great corporation heavily loaded with unnecessary personnel and expenses if I were a stock- holder or director in that corporation. Let me refer to a statement made by former Senator Aldrich, the very able chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which was made in an address to the Senate February 21, 1910, as follows: . If I were a business men and could be permitted to do it, I would undertake to run this government for $300,000,000 a year less than it is now run for. This statement was made more than fifteen years ago, when the dollar would buy nearly twice as much as it will buy today, and when there were approxixmately 140,000 less civilian employes of the government than at present. If Senator Aldrich was right in his statement in 1910, it should be possible to save three times as much today. In the last several years we have had some measure of economy in a limited sense, and we have enjoyed a considerable tax reduction. This, tax rduction, however, is very largely a result of a natural decline of the war activities. In other words, this country was laboring under the peak load of high war taxes, and the consequent reven JJ from these war taxes after the termination of the war was greatly basis. In addition to in excess of the requirements of a peace-tim- e this, we have had the benefit of large amounts of money received from the sale of surplus war material, plus other large amounts received in payment of principal and interest from the debtor nations. It is perfectly obvious, therefore, that large tax reduction has been not only possible but logical and inevitable. I am not thinking of the tax reduction that was made possible basis. I and inevitable by the transition from a war to a peace-tim- e am thinking now of great, necessary, and wholesome economies that businesslike reorcan be and should be effected by a thorough-going- , ganization of the government, such as would be the logical thing 7'1 any private business. The people of the country should rally to the support of Representative Davey. Let us make the United States a government 1 |