Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-02-23
CHAMP CLARK : LETTER
Republican "Big Injuns"
Get Into a Scrap.
FUN FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
Harmony Among the Majority
Only Skin Deep.
FUN FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
PREDICTION FOR NEXT CONGRESS.

PREDICTION FOR NEXT CONGRESS.
Republicans VIII Have but Thirteen
Majority and BE Disunited, While
the Opposition viii Be Solid and
Ably Led-Have We Outgrown the
Constitution .--Time to Gag Embryo
Cnsars-cost of TmperiaIism.
Especial Washington letter.
The cold weather appears to engender
caloric in the house. The lower the
mercury sinks the higher rises the tenn
per of members. The other day those
two Republican 'big Injuns, Uncle
Joe Cannon Of Illinois, chairman of the
great committee on appropriations, and
Colonel Pete Hepburn of Iowa, chair
man of the great committee ON inter
state and foreign commerce.. fell afoul
of each other over the Nicaragua canal
project and made things so sizzling hot
that the great snow now enveloping
the earth was in danger of being melted
instantly, thereby precipitating a food
second to Noah's flood alone in size and
Importance. The boys, especially the
Democratic boys, urged them on en-
Enthusiastically, some of them going so
far as to yell, Seek him, seek him ~
as we used to encourage our long cared
hounds when engaged in a coon fight
in the sweet, halcyon days of long ago.
Even General Grosyenor, who possesses
a striking resemblance to Santa Claus,
if not maliciously con-
tributed fuel to the flames, instead Of
turning on the hose, by furnishing some
shrapneI and slugs for Colonel Hepburn S
guns with which to rake Uncle joe 8
flank. In the midst of the Kilkenny cat
fight some young Democrat began whis-
Ting softly "a Hot Time In the Old
Town Tonight. =
The truth is, as I have stated before
in these letters. that the harmony
among the Republicans is only skin
deep, on the surface, bogus. make be-
lieve, unreal, unsubstantial as the fab
ric Of vision, while their differences
are liable to break out at any time on
any subject-finance, tariff, isthmian
canal, expansion, Imperialism or what
not
In the next congress the Republicans
will have only 13 fatal 13 majority
and their incurable differences will de-
liver them into our hands one-half the
time. I am neither a prophet nor the
son of a prophet. bnt / make bold to
predict that in the Fifty sixth congress
the Republicans in the house will be
walloped oftener than they wallop us.
We will be compact, enthusiastic,
led, and will force the fight
ing from start to finish Republicans
cannot now be baited, driven or coaxed
into declaring their policy on any great
question
Returning to the constitutional phase
Of the Philippine business, let us see
where we are at.
An Era of Jingoism.
While Grover Cleveland was serving
his second term Congressman Tim
Campbell of New York city was en-
deavoring to induce him to do some
thing. Cleveland said, ''But, Tim, that
is unconstitutional. whereupon Timo-
thy replied, with his most fetching
smile, ''Mr Prisidint, what is the con-
stitution betwixt finds? Everybody
smiled at what was considered char
acteristic sally by the witty Irishman.
But General Merritt S declaration is no
laughing matter 1t sounds like fire.
bell at midnight. If Eve have outgrown
the constitution, will some jingo pray
tell us under what form of government
we are living? Is it a government by
the sword? 1t surely must be, for if the
made by the fathers is
abolished "the government of the peo-
pie, by the people and for the people"
goes with it and is buried in the same
grave. If we have outgrown the consti-
tuition, by what right does William Me-
Kinley sit in the White House or Gar
ret A. Hobart in the vice presidents
chair? If we have outgrown the consti-
tuition, by what authority do Melville
w. Fuller and his eight associates pre-
sumo to pass on the important questions
daily presented to them? If we have
outgrown the constitution, how comes
it that 80 men in the north end of the
capitol and 800 in the south end persist
in the mummery Of legislating for To-
600, 900 people2 Let it be remember
ed that every employee of the govern
ment of the United States from the
president down to the janitor, execu-
tive, judicial, legislative, civil or mill
tary. holds commission and draws pay
under and by reason of that constitu-
ton which we are fiippantly told we
have outgrown. But, at the risk of be-
ing fiouted as Constitution mongers,
there are men who still dare maintain
that we have not outgrown the coIsti-
tuition and who are unwilling to admit
that chaos has come again.
In these latter days we have had all
sorts of revivals in literature-a Napc
Eeonic revival, a Washington revival, a
Websterian revival, etc What we most
need in this era Of Wild reckless, sense
less jingoism is a constitutional revival
We have gone ON the iatitudinarian
tack too long. The constitution has been
stretched until certain imperialists have
concluded that it has no binding force.
It is high time that these embryo
C@sars have gags put into their
mouths and that all men shall be Taught
the great fundamental truth promul
gated by our fathers that the federal
government is a government Of limited
powers.
Signs of the Times.
Senator George Frisbie Hoar of Mas
sachusetts has never been accused Of
being "a strict constructionist. but
even he appears 70 have walked mp TO
the fact that there Is danger ahead He
has been refreshing his knowledge Of
the constitution. and be finds written
there in these potent words, the exist
ence of which many practical statesmen
seem to have forgotten: The powers
not delegated to the United States by the
nor prohibited by it to the
states are reserved TO the states. re-
or to the people
Others are joining the great New
and the signs Of the times
Indicate that revival Of constitutional
study and practice is 1T hand. General