The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-23
CAN raE NEW TARIFF nK EsroRoED:

10 tue ofshuiAtiioh VI
,ur side OF the ocean that divides enlight-
sned civilization, there has always
been fundamental aud accepted
auasl agreement usts-~r- Ale naa-
Die on the one hand aud The
officers imbued with authority ON the
other. Not that the officials entrusted
with limited power are not from and OF
the people, but for the reason that every |
should be amply provided for
and all gateways to oyerweening authority
carefully guarded With this idea conyen-
tons of the people laid down and emphati-
cally announced certain and de-
termined principles. Our own
general government is peculiar in this, that
1t originated from states whose representa-
ton was ackno wledged 10 be in the hands
of agents of those states. The consequence
of this state of affairs in the formative con
stitutional convention was this, that the
basis structure OF the national building was
determined upon by the original architects
and founders ofthe government, and unless
a change of very decided nature should oc-
cur, the great principles of the states
united should be the constitution or organic
law of the nation known as the
United States of America. One OF the
main aud underlying surrenders OF sove-
reign rights was tn withdrawal Of control
by the states of legislative powers over GER
tain subjects of legislation. The surrender
was complete and deiined-well defined
and in another clause OF this much revered
and neglected instrument now only known
to constitutional lawyers,is still to DO found
the unsurrendered right of states to pass
bills for appropriation for general purposes,
of money, unless originated in the house of
representatives, the popular branch OF the
| legislative department. Just here comes
up question that fixes itself upon the
American people AS to whether they
propose by indiscreton to defeat the will
of the founders of the republic
and the states az then represented or to
continue in the exercises Of the same lin
ted through their accredited agents i'll
congress, stripped of all verbage, the prop
osition is this Can n measure nominally
originated in the lower house of congress,
aud sent up by virtue of existing laws TO
the senate, be amended in such II manner
as to change the bill in its most essential
nature, to wit the amount of the appropri-
alton, and still be a constitutional measure,
and ageneral law applicable to all cases
arising under the laws of the United States;
This is the direct question involved in the
new tarifrand appropriation bill-a question
OF revenue and appropriation-insep
We fail to see, If the republican view of this
issue is adopted, where there can be any
safeguard whatever. 1t 10 the amount and
not the character of appropriation bill that
was sought to be guarded against. If by n
simple amendment of one thousand mil
lions tho senate could send back house
bill appropriating one thousand dollars to u
particular object, 1t appears to our demo-
cratic eyes that said constitutional safe
guard amounts to but very little, and il it
had been the purpose OF the republics
fathers to allow suGh legerdemain, the
question naturally arises, would the distinc-
ton have been made between the pow
ers of the coordinate branches of
congress. This view Of the case
seemed to impress itself on some of tho re.
publican members OF congress who voted
against the report of the conference COM
mittec. 10 the eye and Judgment Of the
average American thinker, II looms up rs O
great fraud and constitutional intraction
of the most dangerous character, We dC
not pretend to high distinction us consttu
tional law-expounders, but We ask of our
readers to note the fact that the llERALr
predicts that on The first Rrcsentation o
an issue on this question to the supreme
court OF the United States a decision will be
rendered adverse to the constitutionality o
the tariff bill passed by the last congress.
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