Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 251, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1918 — CHECKS AND BALANCES. [ARTICLE]

CHECKS AND BALANCES.

The Washington correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, summing up the manner in which the government is now conducted, declares that the south, “which has 30 per cent, of the population, 20 per cent, of the wealth, and pays 10 per cent, of, the federal taxes, runs the whole show.” This was generally known because nearly all of the important congressonal committees are headed by southerners and the bulk of the revenue comes from the north. Whenever these truths are uttered the southerners protest, and likewise some of the n orthernsoutherners, because they insist that the issue of sectionalism should not be raised. With this complaint the whole country can agree. There should be no sectionalism, especially at this time, but some of the present leaders an congress have been looking at national issues in a sectional way because they never learned to look at them in any other way. The * country can not be blamed for commenting if the south continues to claim all the plums. President Wilson has been unable to influence some of the southern leaders because they cling to thedr traditions and beliefs, even in the face of urgent appeals from their party chief who speaks to them as such chief and as chief executive as well. There is a demand in congress for a seres of checks and balances where by the south would be entitled to its just deserts, but whereby it would be relieved of the responsibility of running the whole government. —-Indianapolis News.