xt7wwp9t2q46_55 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wwp9t2q46/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wwp9t2q46/data/59m61.dao.xml American Liberty League 37 linear feet archival material English University of Kentucky This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed.  Permission must be received for subsequent distribution in print or electronically.  Physical rights are retained by the owning repository.  Copyright is retained in accordance with U. S. copyright laws.  For information about permissions to reproduce or publish, contact the Special Collections Research Center. Jouett Shouse Collection (American Liberty League Pamphlets), No. 58 "The Imperilment of Democracy" Radio Address of Fitzgerald Hall, President of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway Company, July 18, 1935 text No. 58 "The Imperilment of Democracy" Radio Address of Fitzgerald Hall, President of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway Company, July 18, 1935 2013 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7wwp9t2q46/data/59m61/59m61_58/Am_Lib_Leag_58_001/Am_Lib_Leag_58_001.pdf section false xt7wwp9t2q46_55 xt7wwp9t2q46 Pamphlets Available * *
*
Copies of the following pamphlets and  
other League literature may be obtained »
. upon application to the League°s national ° E
rreaeaaarreraa Imperilment o
Statement of Principles and Purposes
American Liberty League—Its Platform  
An Analysis of the President’s Budget Message r
Economic Security
Inflation * * *
The Thirty Hour Week ,
The Pending Banking Bill Radio Address of
The Holding Company Bill
Pri<=<= €<>¤¢¤>1 FITZGERALD HALL
The Labor Relations Bill _ _.
The Bituminous C,-,,,1 Bil] President of the Nashville,
Extension of the NRA Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway
The Farmers’ Home Bill Company
The TVA Amendment 
The New Deal, Its Unsound Theories and *
Isrzeconcilable Policies—Speech by Ralph M.
aw
How to Meet the Issue——Speech by William E. U¤d€l' the auSP1c€S of
B°"“h The Kentucky Division
The Supreme Court and the New Deal A . L.b L
An Open Letter to the President—By Dr. Neil mcrlcan 1 crty caguc
Carothers
The Revised AAA Amendments *
Thgh Return to Democracy—Speech by Iouett
ouse
The President’s Tax Program July 18’ 1935
The American Bar—The Trustee of American
Institutions—Speech by Albert C. Ritchie
Two l;Amazing Years—Speech by Nicholas Roose-
ve
Fabian Socialism in the New Deal—Speech by
Demarest Lloyd
The People’s Money—Speech by Dr. Walter E. `AE IQ
Svahr v   r».. "4»
The Principles of Constitutional Democracy and  
` the New Deal—Speech by R. E. Desvernine '.'.Z     HI
Which Road to Take'?——Speech by I. Howard  ""'*Y°"”`” 
P81.0 Tfy LQ}
I The Blessings of Stability--Speech by Iames W.
Wadsworth
{ Legislation-By Coercion or Constitution-
Speech by Jouett Shouse
Recovery by Statute-Speech by Dr. Neil
““'°""’” cm LIBERTY LEAGUE
Expanding Bureaucracy AMERI ’
* ` ` National Headquarters
NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING
` AMERICAN LIBERTY LEAGUE WASHINGTON, D_ C_
NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D. C. * *
Document No. 58 r

 . If there be anything in the experience of man-
The Im erilment of Democrac .
P · y kind which has been demonstrated beyond
* question, it is that the more power vested in
. p and exercised by a central government, the less
FOR many centuries English-speaking peoples ttbertY and ProsPerttY there is for the average
labored and fought to decentralize government 1ndrV1dua1· Yet, rn the faee ef all eXPerrenee
in the interest of obtaining political, religious and eontrarY te the fundamental eoneePts• of
and economic freedom for the individual. Long our Government, this admrmstratton rs strrvrng
and bitter experience had proven beyond a to destroy local self-government and set up 1n
doubt that no individual or small group of in- tts stead an att‘PoWerfut bureaucracy rn Wash'
dividuals could be trusted with supreme power. 1ngton·
Magna Charta, the Bill of Rights, and the Con- I quote Jefferson again:
stitution of the United States stand as enduring *‘ "It is not by the consolidation, or concen-
monuments to the sacrifices of our progenitors r trahon of powers, but by the? d1stlr1b1$on,
in bequeathing to us a government of law as ti that $°°d govcrnmcnt IS C ect? .' Fm
d. . . h d f f d not th1s great country already divided 1nto
‘sh“s“‘s C _ _mm_a government? mem un cr states, that division must be made, that
which each c1t1zen 1S free to exercise the greatest each might do {er itself what concerns itself
liberty known under any government in the his- directly, and what it can so much better do
tory of the world. than a distant authority. Every statle again
NOW, unhappibg we Observe the Spectacle 18 divided 1nto. counties, each to ta e care
f a so-called Democratic administration tu · of what has wtlthm its lmtal bounds; Cach
f) rn county again 1nto townsh1ps or wards, to
mg hack the hand of Progress a thousand Years- manage minuter details; and every ward
seeking to undo the work of our forefathers, into farms, to be governed each by its indi-
seeking to centralize practically complete power Vidllel P1‘0Pr1eto1‘· Were we direeted from
in the hands of the bureaucrats in Washington, Wlashmgtou when t° S°w’ and Jvhcu to
b . . . . . . reap, we should soon want bread.
u1ld1ng up a super-soc1al1st1c state under wh1ch
the avera e individual will be a mere awn in We know, both on principle and by experi-
S h P _
the hands gf federal oi-Iiee.holderS_ ence, that local self-government 1S the only sure
Much that the present administration has WaY by Wnfen PeoP1e maY matntam th<->1rhb¢r·
done, is doing, and is attempting to dg, is not ties against the oiiice-holding class; yet, this so-
only directly contrary to the experienee of our called Democratic administration is attempting
forefathers, but is contrary to the express prin- to consolidate and eoneentrate in Washington
ciples of our government eg get forth in em- power over the most intimate affairs in the life
organic law—to say nothing of being ineonsist. of every individual. We are, in point of fact,
ent with the fundamental principles of the ` HOW being directed from Washington when to
party whose standard it bears. sow and when to reap, and we now know the
untoward results of the insane policy of destroy-
` wealth throu h the killin of animals and
I AM a country lawyer from Tennessee, and I mg V- g g
· . . . _ the plowing under of crops.
take my political philosophy from the teachings
‘ f Th if . T ° . · . . .
O Omas JC Claim , fiat the Present ml? ` JEFFERSON 1n h1s first 1naugural stated
named Democrat1c adm1n1strat1on has repudi- . . . .
. . certain fundamental principles of this Govern-
ated the pr1nc1ples of my beloved party and of m6m_ P
this government, I believe I can effectually ° _
demonstrate “The support of the state governments 1n
Th J H _ all their rights as the most competent ad-
Omas B Btwn wr°t°' ministrations for our domestic concerns and
°°Our country is too large to have all its the surest hulwarks against anti-republican
affairs d1rected by a single government." tenden°1es·
3
2

 The present so-called Democratic administra- HERETOFORE it has been Considered one of
tion is taking iiioin iiio stoics and tho p°°P1° the elemental rights of individuals, subject only
Praoiiooiiy oii Qi _iiioii` i`igiiiS’ donying thcm the to the jurisdiction of their immediate states, to
Powoi io oiiniinisior iiioir iioinostic °°n°°;HiS’ determine whom they would employ, how much
and is creating an anti-repubhcan SOC13l1ZCd they would Pay, and what hours would be m_
govorninont in Washington to which the mice quired for service. Today this so-called Demo-
Proud Sovoiioign stoics aio boing iioiogatod to cratic administration is undertaking to deprive
the condition of more tributary Pr°Vin°°S' every business man, great and small, of the right
Again, Joiioroon aiivoootodi to run his business in the manner which his
“Economy in public expense that labor local condition justifies and makes necessary.
may be lightly burthened.” Not content with its efforts to regiment and
Yet, no government in recorded history, net I erislevc husiliess, this so-called. Democratic ed.
even France under the Bourbon kings, wasted l minisimiion is out of iiio Puiiiio Purse Poiinii?
the public wealth as the present administration V minimis mm eqvcrnliwnially Operated _buS1`
is doing. y nesses in compet1t1on w1th 1tS tax-paying CIIIZCHS.
Again Jefferson advocated: Agam’ Jefferson wrote:
“The honest payment of our debts and heir hidtlic prmilpls of Srilcudigg money tg
sacred preservation of the public faith.” fungin . ii) POS ath; ul;. cr . C mm? °
_ _ _ _ _ g 1S ut sw1n mg uturity on a arge
Yet, th1s so-called Democratic adm1n1strat1on eee]e_"
has not preserved the public faith, but in sub- Agairr
stance has resorted to the practice of ancient i
kings in clipping the coinage of the-Nation. By ii- · · never ePeiid Your hioheY hetore
this procedure the honest payment of debts has you have lt'
been avoided, and now the Federal Congress is Today this so-called Democratic administra-
being urged by the Chief Executive to make it tion is spending billions, not of your money and
impossible for a citizen of these United States mine, but borrowed against the property, la-
who has suffered by reason of the breaking of bors and hopes of future generations. We are
the plighted faith of the Nation to seek recourse mortgaging posterity on the inane and insane
even in the Temple of Justice itself. idea that colossal expenditure of public funds
From J eiferson again: by politicians creates prosperity.
“Every government degenerates when
trusted to the rulers of the people alone. MR_ ROOSEVELT Of his Own accord Sought
The people themselves, therefore, are its .
only safe depositories . . . Agriculture, to be the standard bearer of the Jeffersoman
manufactures, commerce and navigation, PertY· Hs Wee trusted with this Power oii the
the four pillars of our prosperity, are the basis of a statement of Democratic principles
P most  g when left tree to   incorporated lll lZl1C party platform. There was
ontorpmso nothing in that platform, there was nothing in
Yet todeY this So‘eeiied Demoeretio edmihie· the statements of the candidate, to indicate a
tration is undertaking to determine in the city ‘ determinetien to depart net only {rem the
of Weehihgtoh hvw iiieiiY Pigs e meh ih Ken- 7 fundamental principles of the Democratic party
t¤ekY may raise; hoW_ much cotton e mah ih 5 but from the fundamental principles of the Gov-
Texas may plant and sell. Our people are being A ernment ef the United Staten
denied the fundamental right of using their own The "founding fathers,” so much sneered at
PriVute ProPertY arid ot ruhhihg their individual by our foreign thinking brain-trusters, once
farms and businesses in the manner which seems iiyed under e high]y eentrelized gevernment
tv them beet- They had learned their lesson by bitter indi-
4 s

 vidual and p¢r¤<>¤¤i eXPei`ienee· TneY knew to vote against it just as much as it is the obli- »
that the PeWei` of Severnmentv even in e re' gation of the Supreme Court to declare and en-
public, must be subject to definite limitations, foree the fundamental law.
if the rights and liberties of the citizens were To me it seems nerfeetly Obvitous that the
to be maintained- Heheeq these H gieat nienv i Chief Executive wants to force the Congress to
drawing not 0hiY eii the wisdom ef the egeev pass all his experimental bills, regardless of
hut OH their OWU actual eXPei`ieiiees¤ set uP in their palpable invalidity, knowing full well that
Ou? vrganic law a sYstein of eneeks end bel' many if not all of them, will be declared uncon-
amiss- This Wise and saintery sYsten1¤ se neeeS' stitutional .by the Supreme Court, in order that
sai`Y tv free gOVei`niiient¤ has been largely he may, for political purposes in the next cam-
destroyed by the Present se‘eened Demeerene paign, claim that he could have created a model
administration. Much of the novel legislation of state if only hc had not heen hampered by the
the last thirty months has been drawn by others > Mhorse and hnggyv Supreme Conrt_ If there
than the gentlemen Oi the Congress- TneY are ever was a period in the history of our country
wld by the Chief Executive what tneY umnstii which justified a written constitution with def-
do, GS ii it Ware his Pi`OViiiee under the Censn' ’ inite limitations on governmental powers, final
tution to direct instead of advise. Not only has interpretation being vested in one learned
tha C·O¥1g1`€ss eeaseii to be a eheek nPen ine non-political, judicial tribunal, it is now, be-
Chief Executive, hut Mi`- ROOseVeit new sii€' cause this so-called and misnamed Democratic
, gests to COI1g1‘CSB that 110t CVBH tl1C liIl'1itB of the administration ig Seeking by ugurpatign tg dg.
Constitution of the United States should control stroy the Checks and halanees of our govern_ U
their future votes on his fantastic measures. mont, to destroy the rights of the States, to de_
Every member of COI1g1’€SS, as well as the Pi'esi‘ stroy local self-government and in their stead
dent, takes 311 oath before AimightY God to set up an autocratic and all-powerful socialized
obey and defend the Constitution of the United state in Washington. If this country is to
States; and yet in the last thirty 111011thS bills prosper, it must, in my opinion, rid itself gf
have been enacted into law palpably inconsist- these Strange meh in high authority who arc
ent with the Constitution. And so bold has undertaking to set up a supreme centralized
the Chief Executive become that in relation to state in Washington, under which the people
the vicious Guffey Coal Bill he is reported to no longer will be masters and public officials be
have written Representative Hill as follows: public servants, but each and everyone of us a
“I hope Your committee will not Permit pohtical and economic slave in the hands of
doubts as to constitutionality, however rea- the bureaucrats m Wiashmgmm The ams has
Soluble, to block the Suggested leeielotiony arrived for every man to declare h1msel'f and
to make his choice. On Mr. Roosevelt°s side is
In other words, the oath of a Congressman a government of men; on the peoplms Side is a
to have his official conduct conform to the or- government of loW_ On ML Roosevews Side is
gallic law of the Natieii is te become like se an all-powerful centralized socialized state in
many other politicsi Pi`Omises‘_a Worthless Washington; on the people’s side, liberty, inde-
scrap of PaPei'· o ~ pendence, states’ rights, and local self-govern-
ment. The time has come to make our choice, —
THE idea that no federal official, except the and as we choose, in my opinion, depends not
members of the Supreme Court, is bound by __ simply the happiness and prosperity, but the
the Constitution is both novel and fallacious. peace of these United States.
If a member of Congress thinks that a given bill ’ attudge of the Nations, Sparc us yet
is in conflict with the 01‘g3HiO law, it is his Lest we forget, lest we forget,” ’
solemn obligation, which he took oath to fulfill,