The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-06-17
Senator Davis, Bid.

The bid of Senator David Davis for
Q Presidential nomination is given, in
the form of a letter, elsewhere. 1t says:
Capitalization carried to its logical is
sue would overthrow the Government"
This is mere assertion, which Mr.. Davis
fortifies by no fact. But suppose it is
true; it is a 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 centralization.
Mr.. Davis evidently does not accept
this definition, for he lauds Mr.. Lin
coin, who inaugurated coercion, and
asserts that he Qincoln) favored the
reverse" of Capitalization. II any
party advocates usurpation by the union
Of powers denied it in the Constitu-
ton, they are centralizationists, and to
be condemned by all men who love
the country. Win Mr.. Davis say there
are any suchP If there are, who are
theyp And what .centralizing measure
have they advocatedp 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-
ton. Yet Mr.. Davis advocates it.
Tins 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.. Davis 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 a "grip on much of the polit-
ical machinery" Some corporations,
or rather the members of some corpo-
rations, have no doubt corrupted legis-
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
overgrOwn 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; q part of the Gov
ernment; public expenditures pass un'
der his scrutiny. What has he done to
reduce themp Let him explain. What
has he done for economy In what in
stances has he Topped off an unneces
sary expenditure, or attempted to dc
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 o.
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 :. its rapid ex
tinction is to be desired because i
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 tht
present burden, which is the interest
Does he favor thatr If he does, why
does he not plainly state it? Will Mr.
Davis tell the people how the debt is t.
be extinguished Immediately except b,
reputation? He denounces the tariff
he has done what he could to depict,
the treasury and having done this h
says in effect, ''let us extinguish th'
debt now." Is it his purpose that tn
debt shall be extinguished by issuins
greenbacks, which are ::' free from
taxes" and must remain SO until thu
Supreme Court reverses its decision
He denounces obligations that are 50 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
tiaf 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 demagogue.-DetroI Pos
and Tribune.