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Show THE CITIZEN 10 EXTRAVAGANCE The annual conference of state governors and several institutes and economic congresses have puzzled themselves liow to curb growing state extravagance. The Institute of Public Affairs wracked its brains two weeks at Charlottesville, Va., and came to the noble conclusion that what the states needed was wiser, not less, state spendAs the states have pvramided their expenditures from ing $2,227,000,000 in 1913 to $7,400,000,000 in 1925, in addition to Federal taxes, the statesmen of the high school and public extravagance agreed that some form of economy in state affairs was necessary, not so much fewer dollars spent as better use of the dollars, increasing the efficiency and modernizing the conduct of public business. There was much learned talk about economics in the use of the tax dollar by the various governors attending, but none of these governors could show that the total expenditures had not risen by leaps and bounds during their brilliant economy administrations. The basic fact remains that state politicians are constantly multiplying functions in the form of new activities, duplicating federal activities and fashions in other states, all making places for high salaried, easy jobs which increase employes in the public service. The more the state is called upon to do for the people (outside the function of governing) what they could do for themselves, the higher the cost of government mounts. The result is more public jobs at high pay. The simple-minde- d producer from the soil and industries must foot the bill in the form of increased taxes. Could anything be simpler? y TRUST BUSTING. It has been predicted in newspapers and political circles that the next congress will show a radical tendency in attacking industry and particularly power companies. Some comment has even gone to the length of saying that the country will witness trust busting. another era of This nation is on such a sound basis and industry has been developed and managed upon so high a plane and under such efficient public regulation, that the people are satisfied and offer no complaints. There is no really important national issue which political factions can capitalize for vote getting purposes. For want of any real issue they seem to have singled out the power industry as a political goat because it has had to make many rapid strides and consolidations in order to meet an abnormal service demand by the public. There is really no occasion for congress upsetting industry, frightening capital and thereby causing more or less uncertainty and unemployment. so-call- ed If congress would meet, reduce taxes as the receipts of gov- disrespect for law and order. We are now reaping the harvest. Our public officials know full well what is going on, but they fear to take a stand because they may lost a vote, and it is much easier to straddle the fence. Ten more years of prohibition under the present system .. and the criminals will rule this coutnry. In fact they are in the saddle today and many of our leading criminals and bootleggers apepar to be immune from arrest. This serious condition can never correct itself. Sane regulation is the secret of success, not only in business, but in law and political office as well. Hitchcock of Nebraska urges the Democrats 4o attack the tariff in the next campaign. As a political strategist Mr. Hitchcock is as good as ever. It will be remembered that he is the same Mr. Hitchcock who urged the Democrats to stand on the League of Nations as an issue. A; Ex-Senat- or The beautiful maiden can now stand knee deep in the daisies without even mussing up her skirts. Experts at the Williamstown conference declared that John Bull is not so paternalistic as Uncle Sam. Still it is to be noted that John has a real fatherly interest in the British navy. A number of Indians in Wyoming recently drank a lot of moonshine liquor and still remained on the warpath. What a hardy race ! Mount Vesuvius has been in a state of eruption again and this is one independent activity which Air. Mussolini doesnt seem to be able to stop. The sheriff of Cook county says that hanging is less painful than death in the electric chair but most folks would prefer to die of old age rather than either of the methods mentioned by the Chicago official. It is reported in current press dispatches that African is very cheap. This is doubtless because there mand for it along the equator. Sometimes the thinner a isnt much coal de- mans hair gets the thicker he tries to get with the ladies. President Coolidge is now a honorary Sioux Indian but we doubt whether the war whoop will appeal to him very much. full-fledg- ed The women used to talk about how many biscuits they could get out of a quart of flour. Now they talk about how many miles they can get out of a gallon of gas. ernment seem to justify, correct any flagrant cases of unsound Who cares if the sun does explode. By the time any pieces f industrial practices, authorize appropraitions necessary to carry on government, refrain from passing thousands of new laws, reaches us we will be frozen stiffs and immune to anything adjourn and go home, the nation would be better off and the that may happen after. people would be thankful. WILL CRIMINALS RULE ? Will Rogers advocates making every golf course in the country an air port. AVell that would be one way to increase the hazards. The great talking point for prohibition was that crime would be greatly reduced in the United States. However, in a census taken, it shows that criminals are increasing much faster than is the population of the United States. Here is a condition without a precedent in the entire history of the world. The serious question with us is, how much longer can this nation continue the present intolerant crime wave? The prohibition law has clearly proven that the personal rights and liberties of the people cannot be abridged without serious results. Such laws make criminals and naturally create The kind of a girl for a young man to marry is one who is always smiling and good natured as a candidate for office. Some of these presidential booms are going to have to go the way of the Florida boom. One of the first remarks made by the new king of Roumania, aged six, after he was told that he had become king was that lie wanted to go home because he was hungry. Which proves anyhow that he is a real boy. $ |