The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-08-05

Q new Constitution.
IL WIN Be great reform when public
esteem and confidence shall become tie
source OF hon0rs instead Of
corKT yAvoR AT WASHINGTON.
When this Constitutional amendment
Is made, - wilIinevitably be done 1t
no distant day, IL would be we'll 20
esoio the expense and conflict Of the
douoie judiciary system We now have
6y reducing the number Of the Fede rai
judiciary, amending and RESTRICTING
their Jurisdiction 10 the excise. inter-
nal revenue. posfofiice. and customs
and like matters which are purely Fed.
eral. Az to all Of her matters in vhie b
Federal question could arise. am pIe
protection would be given by write OF
error-ss now-from the State courts
Certainly with the great increase OF
interconmunication and the decay nj
local prejudice, . large mass of litfga-
ton which now goes into the Federa)
Court could be eliminated for the NON.
residence Of party should cease TO be
. ground OF taking Jurisdiction from
the State courts. 70 q large exten,
this is now simply : pretext for cor.
porations and ~ indicates to escape the
jurisdiction ofState cOnrts and il An in.
centive to them to secure the appoint.
ment Of their fayoritee, whenever the1
can, upon the Federal bench.
ANOTHER UNDEAoCRATIc MATURE
Of the Constitution 10 that which re.
quires adj Federal officials to be 40.
pointed by the President or heads OF
department.. This has grown to be q
great evil. When, for instance, there
were Is postmasters, it was contem.
plated that the president or postmas.
ter-general would really appOi Mt
With 10 600 postmasters this is impos.
sible. AS practical result. they are
in fact selected neither by the presi.
dent nor the postmaster general, Blu,
in an unconstitutional mode by sena.
tors, members Of Congress or political
bosses.
Not so long since we saw the pres.
sure of office-seekers upon Congress
men used dexterously by the execu.
tive to secure the passage by Congress
Of an act which otherwise could not
have been adopted.
REVISION OF THE CONSTITUTION
should at least empower Congress te
authorize the election Of postmasters
by each locality whenever and to wha,
ever extent, it may deem advisable.
1t is idle to say that we have grown
and prospered under this constitution
1t would be as logical to say that We
have done so in spite Of it. The con.
stitutIon is not a fetish to be worship.
ped not did it come down from Heaven
a perfect work. 1t had to be patched
up ere it was in working order. Its
defects nearly brought us catastrophe
IN 1901, in 1920 and again in 1876
That which happened in 1851 65 we all
remember. Those features of the con.
stitutiOn which time has approved and
which are still suited to our needs will
be retained. Those that are other wise
should be amended or removed, as has
been the case with our State cOnstitu.
tiOns. The vast power of the presi
dent, his great patronage, giving him
power to make war, his election by
electors, who are under no legal obli-
CATION to voice the sentiment Of their
constituents, these are pregnant with
future trouble, So also is the election
of United State Sc, a'nrs by the ma or-
ity of caucus, j. r, by one fourth OF
the small number Of men in State
legislature, whose nomination IN
election can be easily manipulated by
the money power. But the greatest
danger is in the appOintive and life
system of the judges who dominate
the other two departments. The helms
men who can point at will the course OF
the ship of state are selected without
any consultation with the crew and
are subject to no control by them. The
constitution is at the mercy of organ
lied and powerful combinations OF
money, and it is imperative that we
rescue it from their hands.
In condensed way, have discussed
the most striking constitutional fea-
lures needing revision. There are
doubtless others. The revision ia
needed. 1t will and must come. 1t ia
appropriate that tho bar should open
the discussion. After the lapse of ITO
years, constitutional revision cannot
be premature. In view Of the dangers
that now face us and the certainty of
greater ones if we delay, it is time
that the matter was receiving careful
and patriotic consideration.