The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-16
poses of the Popooratic party. in case il
be successful.

poses of the Popocratic party. in case it
be successful.
They have at last obtained some in
timation, set forth with the explicitness
and clearness Of judicial treatment by
Judge Clark Of North Carolina, esteem
ed by many 70 be the ablest member of
the Populist party, and last spring q
favorite candidate for the presidential
nomination of that party of large
number of Populists. 1t is thought by
lawyers here TO be the real propaganda
OF the abler men VIE are behind Bryan,
and it is welcomed - q tangible, con-
else and definite STA, ,nent of principles
and the legal manner in which they are
to be set forth as law if the Popocratic
party gains complete control of the gov
ernment.
"Those lawyers here who have read
this statement of principles and Of pro-
posed legislation or change of the or
ganic law do not hesitate to say that it
simply contemplates absolute revolution
in the American form of government.
Some of the purposes are entertained by
many persons who would shrink with
horror from associating with this revo-
lutionary party, as, for instance, the
election of senators by popular vote, the
extension of the presidential term to six
years, and even the election Of the pres
ldent by popular vote. Those, it is
thought, are questions Of expedsency
rather than Of vital principle. But an
other proposition--that the veto power
be abolished--is looked upon as revo-
lutionary abolishment Of an important
and rarely abused presidential power.
Il clearly means that it is the purpose
Of the Popocratic party absolutely to
,ontrol legislation without any check
from the executive or from the supreme
,ourt. 80
1T is also the purpose of the Popo-
sratic party to reach the supreme court
by changing the manner Of appointment
and by limiting the term to a certain
number Of years. The judges are to be
elected for fixed term. That, of course,
involves change in the organic law,
and IT is the intention of this new party
to persevere until this Change shall be
accomplished. 1t is this proposition
which contains the most revolutionary
of the purposes of the party. There is
not lawyer here who has read of this
purpose who hesitates to declare that
If it be accomplished the value and au-
thority of the supreme court will be
greatly impaired. That branch Of tho
government, as Mr.. Coudert points out,
has been the saving institution of the
republic, in the opinion Of all the Eu-
ropean students of the American form
Of government from Dc Tocqueville
I: down to Bryce.
"The inevitable result would be to
take from the supreme court in fact, il
not in name, the power to determine
constitutional questions, aud. with the
veto power abrogated, the initiative, as
we'll as the final authority of isgislation,
would be in congress. With the senate
! elected by the people, practically within
the immediate control Of the people, the
president crippled and the supreme
court subordipated, those conservative
checks which the experience Of other re-
publics taught the fathers of our own
were necessary for the preservation of .
republican democracy would be ahol-
ished. It is only within few weeks
that the bar of this city and state has
fully appreciated the full scope of the
revolutionary purpose which is in the
Chicago platform. And today it is safe
to say that the momentous gravity Of
this threatened political revolution
causes far more anxiety than the mere
proposition to open the mints TO the free
coinage of silver Mr.. Coudert sees be-
hind it q movement in favor Of almost
pure democracy.
''In fact, il was pointed ont by ex-
Judge Davis, for many years chief JUS
tice of the supreme court and an able
jurist, that another confessed purpose OF
the Popocratic party, as stated by Judge
Clark, is of itself convincing proof that
something like pure democracy is the
ultimate aim Of the Popocratic party.
For Judge Clark says that tho party
will, if in control Of congress, so legis-
| late as to pass over to tho governments
the ownership of all trunk lines of rail-
way and the telegraph. of course, there
arc some incidental purposes, as for in
stance, imposition of an income tax
not restrained, rs would be any one now
constitutionally levied, 50 as TO be free
from discrimination--so as TO oonfscate
by taxation as larSe n portion of the
property of those who have possession
as any congress might see fit There
would also bo legislation which would
prevent probably any combination OF
capital such as has mnde the industrial
development Of the United States pos
sible and so splepdidly advanced since
tho civil war