Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-03-24
FEDERAL INTERFEREN CE

The recent decisions of the Supreme
Court affirming the validity Of the
Federal election laws are of far reach
ing significance and Importance As
Judge Field, in his dissenting opinion,
expressed it, their effect is 10 confirm
the assertion by Congress OF power
which is obstructive Of the independ-
enoe OF the States in matters over
which their authority has never been
surrendered. According to the law
as interpreted, it is now competent for
the Federal authority TO degrade the
States eto the level of municipal cor
porations existing at the will Of Con-
gress" This is the doctrine Of cen.
trallzation as advanced by the radical
wing OF the Republican party in its
most ultra form. That it should have
received the Endorsement OF the high.
est Judicial tribunal in the land must
be matter of profound regret for
every man who appreciates at its full
value the fundamental principle Of cor.
relation between the State and Fed.
eral Governments upon which our
whole political system is based. Here
after, unless the election laws are re.
pealed, it will be within the power Of
the General Government TO interfere
in the most arbitrary manner in all
the elections for members of Con.
gress and 10 punish violations by
the election officers not only Of
Federal but of State laws. The
effect Of the decision does not stop
even here, for, as Judge Field remarks,
"If the Federal Government may pun.
ish a violation OF the laws of u State il
may also punish obedience to them
and exercise a supervision over the
Legislation of the States, subversive ol
all their reserved powers.
Judge Field, supported by judge
Clifford, madea strong protest against
the decision Of the majority and his
dissenting opinion is clear and able
presentation Of the theory which has
been maintained by the Democratic
party from the beginning, that the en-
forcement legislation is unconstitu
tional and void. tits not encouraging
to reflect that the Republican members
of the court indorsed unanimously the
the stalwart view of the case and that
tribunal which should be above al
political considerations has again di
vided OIL a partisan issue according tc
the party. predictions of its members
The decision of the court, however
does not end the matter An appeal
may still be taken to the people, and
among the questions 10 be submitted
at the Presidential election next Fal
will be the paramount iasuo whether
the Capitalization, which is proceeding
so rapidly under the lead OF the Re
publican party backed up by parti
san Supreme Court, shall be checked
or not. For more than ninety years
the United States have grown and
prospered without the laws which are
now TO be enforced and which the Re
publicans claim TO be necessary to the
purity of our elections. The Fedora.
ted States have survived three wars
they have grown from thirteen ieeblc
colonies TO thirtyeight States, cover
ing larger cultivated territory than
any other power in the world they
are to-day moro prosperous, happier
stronger than any other people, Yet
at this day-at the beginning of the
last decade of the first century Of Their
existepee-t their sovereignty is denied
and il is sought in time of profound
peace to bipd upon them the shackle'
Of Federal authority, the exercise Of
which, even under the interpretation
of the doctrine of States rights en-
forced by the war, can only be justified
by armed revolt. If this decision oI
the Supreme Court be not nullifcd by
the repeal of the enforcement laws
the autonomy of the different States il
destroyed and tho title "Unitcd States
applied 10 this country becomes an
absurd misnomer Under She ruling
Of the Court we are, in fact, no longe.
a federation Of States, but strongly
centralized Republic divided FOR con
vcnienoc into thirty-cight dependent
provinces. Baltimore 0dscite
The Sherman boom needs bloody
shirt or something oi that sort Just to
give il style.