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Editorial
May 16, 1934
The Times News
Hendersonville, Henderson County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
The editorial criticizes political experiments as dangerous and costly, quoting the Farm Journal on politicians' reluctance to abandon failed policies. It argues that the current era of federal government experiments imposes gigantic long-term burdens on the people through taxes and inefficiency.
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POLITICAL EXPERIMENTS
Political experiments, as a rule, are dangerous. There are so many reasons why they are doomed to failure, that the wise course for those in position to indulge in political experimentation, is the course that leads as far as possible from this form of taking chances. The Farm Journal of Philadelphia comments on political experiments and politicians in this fashion:
"Political experiments are not, as a general rule, very wise or beneficial. The trouble is that many of them turn out to be failures, but no matter how bad the failure, the individuals who invented the scheme hate to admit they were wrong. Instead of frankly saying so and tossing the wreck overboard, they try to patch it up and nurse it along, fighting like wildcats to save their own faces and their political necks.
Politicians have always been like that. The result is that government experiments that fail cannot be got rid of quickly, but burden and harass the people for years. Mostly the voters have to throw out the politicians themselves and elect new ones before they can get the injurious laws repealed."
The people always pay the price for political experiments, and the price is always unreasonably high. The people pay in the lessened efficiency of government and in increased costs. They pay in the money wasted by experimenting. The costs are piled on the people in the form of taxes.
This is the greatest era of political experimenting this country has ever known. In fact, it is far ahead of anything the world has ever seen before. It is the most expensive experimenting that has ever been known. The cost is going to be gigantic for generations to come. The experiments to which we refer are those being perpetrated by the federal government on an unsuspecting and, up to this time, unprotesting people.
Political experiments, as a rule, are dangerous. There are so many reasons why they are doomed to failure, that the wise course for those in position to indulge in political experimentation, is the course that leads as far as possible from this form of taking chances. The Farm Journal of Philadelphia comments on political experiments and politicians in this fashion:
"Political experiments are not, as a general rule, very wise or beneficial. The trouble is that many of them turn out to be failures, but no matter how bad the failure, the individuals who invented the scheme hate to admit they were wrong. Instead of frankly saying so and tossing the wreck overboard, they try to patch it up and nurse it along, fighting like wildcats to save their own faces and their political necks.
Politicians have always been like that. The result is that government experiments that fail cannot be got rid of quickly, but burden and harass the people for years. Mostly the voters have to throw out the politicians themselves and elect new ones before they can get the injurious laws repealed."
The people always pay the price for political experiments, and the price is always unreasonably high. The people pay in the lessened efficiency of government and in increased costs. They pay in the money wasted by experimenting. The costs are piled on the people in the form of taxes.
This is the greatest era of political experimenting this country has ever known. In fact, it is far ahead of anything the world has ever seen before. It is the most expensive experimenting that has ever been known. The cost is going to be gigantic for generations to come. The experiments to which we refer are those being perpetrated by the federal government on an unsuspecting and, up to this time, unprotesting people.
What sub-type of article is it?
Economic Policy
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
Political Experiments
Government Failure
Tax Burdens
Politicians
Federal Policies
What entities or persons were involved?
Farm Journal Of Philadelphia
Federal Government
Politicians
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Dangers Of Political Experiments
Stance / Tone
Critical Of Political Experimentation
Key Figures
Farm Journal Of Philadelphia
Federal Government
Politicians
Key Arguments
Political Experiments Are Dangerous And Doomed To Failure
Politicians Resist Admitting Failures And Prolong Bad Policies
People Bear High Costs Through Taxes, Reduced Government Efficiency, And Wasted Money
Current Era Is The Greatest And Most Expensive For Political Experiments In History