New-York tribune., 1896-10-06
THE. BRYiNITE pRDGHi II VIZ

The most definiilvc statement OF the Bryanitc
programme which has come 10 our motto" j. Ia
be found IN IN article. entitled 'Inevirable CON
siituiional Changes" which j. contributed 10
"The North American Review by the Hon.
Walter Clark al Associate Justice Of The Su-
preme Court OF North Carolina. Judge Clark
has been twice elected 10 The Bench in that State
without opposition and is the author Of several
law books. He Is an active member of the Free
Silver party. and we have the word Of "'rhe Re
view that what he sets forth in the article In
question may he regarded an authoritative
programme Of the alterations which his party
"would seek 10 make in the Constitution. in the
"event Of the election Of Mr.. Bryan" 4 pro
rramme sent out 'o the world with such an in
dorsement could not fail 10 attract general at
tonilOn. Hardly anything is more unlikely than
the election Of Mr.. Bryan. bur still everybody
wants 10 know as fully and clearly as possible.
and not merely in the more or less meaningless
language Of a party platform. what the Bryan
ties would do If they should get the chance
Here we have it In language plain enough for
all 10 understand.
Judge Clark enumeraies seven things among
those which the Bryante following will earnest
~ insist on. They are: The election Of United
States Senators by the people: the election Of all
United States Judges by the people: the election
Of pOslmastcrs; the lengthcning OF the Prcs
dental term 10 six years; the abolition OF the
veto power: change in the method of electng
Presidents. and the absolute and sure Govern
MENTAL control of transportation. probably in
volving Government ownership az least of the
trunk lircs.
In some Of these propositions there i nothing
new or strange: others are little short Of revou
A..
of the question Of cecring Senators by the people
and Of n change in The length Of the Presidents
term the latter question having several times
reached the stage Of partial action by Congress.
although the necessary consent of twothirds Of
both houses has not been obtained. rs pren-
mary 10 Il constitutional amendment. The pres
cnt mode Of elrciing The President has not been
considered satisfactory by some people and Ger
tain agitatorS have long advocated Govcrnmcn:
control of railroads am! tclegraphs Bu the
feature of This programme which is Of most i'm
mediate importance is iha, relating TO the cec-
ion Of United STATES Judges II il specially
noteworthy because of the covert threat Of the
Popocraic platform To reconsiliutc the Supreme
Court which has been generally accepted rs
meaning All Increase in The membership OF the
court by Congress until reversal Of the income
| tax decision can De secured. Judge ti3rk :
argument in favor of the change he advocates
Is principally based on the fact that In most of
the States Judges have been made elective by
the people. He quotes with the accent Of ap-
prova the Chicago platforms condemnation Of
'govcrnmei 10y injunction," and says tina, this
| and the income tax decision "have rudely broken
public confidence in she Federal Judiciary and
| 'neccssiaie lis reconstruction on modern lines
'by making The tenure Of Judicial office for n
''tcrm instead Of for life. and the office itself
elective instead Of apponive.
| If there Is any feature Of our system which is
regarded with unqualified approval by the pco-
pie in general it is the judiciary. and especially
the highest manifestation OF II In the Supreme
| Court II does not follow that every decision Of
that court has met with popular approval, but In
| general the court has been regarded the
| strongest buwark OF the Government Any at
tempt 10 lay violent hands on II will be certain
| to meet with instant and unsparng condcmna-
ton In his speech In this city Mr.. Harrison
rightly said that the Popocratic assault on the
! Supreme Court outweighed In Importance the