Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-08-03
THE CONSTITUTION.
IL 10 sunicisnt Although More Than
Hundred IeArs Old.

IL 10 sufficisnt Although More Than
Hundred Years Old.
Il is the great glory of the constitution,
says the Philadelphia Times, Of the
United States. distinguishing It above ell
other political experiments In history,
that while written In precise terms, at
period OF most elementary development,
1t has yet proved adequate to all the
changed conditions OF century OF uuex.
ampled progress. The reason Of this
adaptability 10 that the constitution 10 in
no sense an arbitrary invention, but 10
based upon broad and well-settled politi.
cal principles and institutions. As long
as the fundamental principles are recog-
nized, they will be found sufficient for
every emergency.
The theory OF the constitution may be
shortly described as that Of union OF
free states for the common defence and
welfare. With the purely domestic con-
Germs of the states, those things which
concern the state alone, the federal gov
eminent has no concern whatever. With
the things that concern the states in
common and in their relations to one
another its power is ample. II the rea-
son Of this distinction is only held in
mind, there can be no danger OF federal
| IL.
eral power infringes upon the right OF
self-government, reserved to the states
respectively or to the people," that the
and opposed.
1t is quite true that the development of
the federal power has exceeded the antic-
ipations OF the trainers of the constitution /;
but so far as the general development of
the country, and as far as the political
development has been along the general
lines laid down in the constitution, it
has been natural, legitimate and healthy.
OF this there has been a most import
ant example in the gradual evolution Of
the power conferred upon congress "to
regulate commerce with foreign ma.
tons and among the several states. !"
When this phrase was written, all
Of the States we're upon the seabosrd,
and the only idea of commerce was that
Of ships. To regulate this the Federal
authority was made absolute. The set
Element Of the West and the introduc.
ton OF steam created new conditions,
and the authority of Congress was natur-
ally and inevitably extended to steam.
boat navigation on the interior rivers.
This was as strictly constitutional as
though the authority to regulate steam
boats had been conferred in 80 many
words.
The extension of the same principle to
commerce by land was more gradual, but
equally inevitable. The early railroads
were generally short lines, lying wholly
within state boundaries, and their con-
duct raised no interstate questions. In
time the necessities Of civilization
carried the railroads over state limits,
|, creating continuous continental lines
Thus grew up vast system
Of commerce between the states
far exceeding in importance all the
coasting trade ever dreamed of, which nc
single state could possibly undertake to
regulate. This, in short, is one of the
common interests for which the fedora
Z government was created and which were
expressly entrusted to it. To speak of the
> federal protection Of the freedom OF inter.
! state commerce, whether by land or water
: as departure from the Constitution, il
! to overlook tho purpose and the princi
, pies on which the Constitution wal
) framed.