The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-03-02

right il would have been better to
have left all the barriers down and not
have imposed on us the task Of hunt
ing subterfuges by the aid of which
W. might ride, booted and spurred,
over all the rights of the people of the
several states.
X K X X X =
The national government has no
righ full power to suppress immortality
in a state. If it has that right it has
power over the whole subject and may
establish it and protect it against the
will of the people. If it has the right
tn punish murder in the state II has
a right to turn the murderers loose on
an innocent, helpless people, and they
are without the power to remedy the
wrongs TO which they are subjected.
If the national government may do
these things it may come unbidden
into the senate, throw open the doors of
its penitentiaries and prisons, take
the criminals from the custody of the
state courts, deprive the people of the
security sought to be established bv
their local institutions, and turn loose
the felOns upon society.
Self-government is the tOuchstoNe
which each community aecures its
own liberty, peace and prosperity
against domestic violence. Local self
government j. this country is founded
upon o faith that is az s'eadfast and
immovable as the rock on which the
mOuntrins stand--a faith. deep.
rooted conviction that every commun.
ity is best governed when governed
by itself and governed by laws which
it can make and unmake at pleasure
Mr.. President. if we can by this sys-
tenn of India rubber construction; il, AS
Chief Justice fancy says. we can give
new definitions to old words and ell
q contract made in state be ween
citizens of the state, to be performed
in the state. al obstruction to inter.
state commerce, we can by the same
means unsurp every power retained
by the state There is no end to con
gressiOnaI dominion. We can regu
late production in all its branches
We can regulate the consumption of
all articles. We can say that Ger
tain number OF acres shall he planted
in cotton, limit the production and
then raise the price by decreasing the
supply.
We can prohibit the farmers in
Texas from planting cotton and cut
down the annual crop 2 ,000,0 900 bales
and advance the price in all the
other states Texas would only have
3 votes out of SO in the senate to nre-
vent if, and IL out of $3.50 in the other
branch, Her 3,00O,OOO people might
sit in the ashes of ruin and desaolu-
tion, but she would he pOwerless to
avert the calamity. How long will it
he till congress will he pressed bv
some powerful interests to limit the
number of acres of wheat that shall be
grown, o hogs that shall he fattened.
of bacon that shall be cured and put
upon the market?
If this bill is to be passed in def.
Pnce of the constitution because its
friends believe it will raise the prices
of certain products, then any other
measure that will increase prices will
be equally commendable. And there
is no reason why the other cotton
states may not combine with the
wheat states and the manufacturing
states and thus, by prohibiting the
people of Texas from growing cotton
increase largely the p'ice Of the eta
pie. fill the pockets of cotton growers
of other states with money and fiji the
hosoms of my constituents with bit.
terness snd distress.
Mr.. President, this bill cannot do