Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-06-11
Senator Davis Bid.

The bid of Senator David Davis fol
Presidential nomination is given, in
the form of letter, elsewhere. 1t says:
DECENTRALIZATION carried to its logical is
sue would overthrow the Government
This is mere assertion, which Mr.. Davis
fortites by no fact. But suppose it is
true; it is man of straw against whom
he Eliminates. Capitalization, accord
ing to the extreme States rights school
of politicians, 'is taking to the Gen
eral Government of any powers not
expressly granted in the Constitution"
Measured by this standard, coercion of
the seeding States was Capitalization.
Mr. Davis evidently does not accept
this definition, for he lauds Mr.. Lin
coin, who inaugurated coercion, aud
asserts that he Uincoln) favored the
','reverse" of centralzation. If any
party advocates usurpatiOn by the union
of powers denied 1T in the Constitu-
ton, they are centralizationists, and to
be condemned by all men who love
the country. Will Mr.. Davis say there
are any suchp If there are, who are
theyP And what ccntralizing measure
have they advocated? 1t was easy
for the Senator to name the men and
the measures. But he has failed to
do so, and he failed because they do
not exist.
Mr.. Davis denounces the growth and
power of great corporations, and he
leaves it to be inferred that Congress
| should assume control over them. He
would argue that Congress can ''regu-
late commerce, that railroads are one
of the channels of commerce, and
therefore, though the Constitution does
not say expressly that Congress may
regulate the railroads, it is neverthe-
less to be implied from its power ''to
regulate commerce." Extreme State
| rights men will say this is centraliza-
tion. Yet Mr.. Davis advocates it.
Thus he is found in the same letter
denouncing Capitalization and favor
ing policy which has more elements
of Capitalization in it than any policy
suggested within the century. Many
Republicans, and Democrats, too,
| believe that this is one of the
implied powers of Congress; others do
not believe it; and those who do not
believe it will charge its advocate with
being centralizationists. If this, or any
other power not expressly granted, is
granted by implication, its use is neither
usurpation nor Capitalization. No one
knows this better than Mr.. Davis, and
no one knows any better than he does
how shallow and groundless all this
talk of Capitalization is; and knowing
this he proves himself demagogue by
appeals to it.
Mr.. Dayis betrays his willingness to
pander to the lowest prejudices of the
people in his reference to corporations,
which he says have overgrown pow
err and "grip on much of the polit-
ical machinery" Some corporations,
or rather the members of some corpo-
rations,. have no doubt corrupted lcgis-
lation. individuals have done the same
thing. But whatever improper infiu-
ences some corporations have exercised
was not because they We're corpora
tons, but because they could command
large sums of money. But Mr.. Davis
can do the same thing. Compared to
the whole number of corporations in the
Union, there are very few that control
as much money as Mr.. Davis does. Mr..
Davis, therefore, is to be considered an
oyergrown power and dangerous.
He will hardly say that.
Mr.. Davis says public expenditures
may be reduced "many millions an
nually without impairing the efficiency
of the public service" He is Sena-
tor in the majority; part of the Coy
ernment; public expenditures pass un-
der his scrutiny. What has he done to
reduce them? Let him explain. What
has he done for economyp In what in
stances has he Topped off an unneces-
sary expenditure, or attempted to do
it? He had the power. He says he has
the will. But he has done nothing -
nothing whatever in that direction.
Mr.. Davis laments the magnitude OF
the public debt, but he is prudently
careful to say nothing of the men who
created it, or the causes through which
it was created. He says al its rapid eX
tinction is to be desired because il
diminishes present burdens" There
are but two ways to eXtinguish debt
First by reputation, or, second, by pay
ment. Reputation would undoubtedly
(if it could be maintained) diminish th(
present burden, which is the interest
Does he favor that? If he does, why
does he not plainly state it? Win Mr.
Davis tell the people how the debt is t.
be eXtinguished Immediately except BY
repudiationp He denounces the tariff
he has done what he could to depletC
the treasury and having done this hi
says in effect, "let us extinguish tn,
debt now" Is it his purpose that tn
debt shall be eXtinguished by issuing
greenbacks, which are free from
taxes" and must remain so until TIL,
Supreme Court reverses its decision
He denounces Obligations that are b" fire,
from taxes" and presumably he include
the greenback in the list. But if h
does mean that the debt should be eX
tinguished by an issue of greenbacks
why does he not say so? A Presiden
tial candidate who gives his opinion t.
the public should give them so tina
they may be understood. This Mr.
Davis does not do. His letter is tn
work of a demagogue. Detroit Pos
and Iriba1le.