The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-02
BOB NEFF On TRUSTS
Oklahoma Leader Would Have
Constitution Amended
TO BAR SUPREME COURT
From Declaring All Arti-
Corporation Laws Void.

Mr. Robert Neh, probate judge of Kay
county and prominently mentioned as the
fusion nominee for congress in Oklahoma
was in the city yesterday.
Asked by reporter FOR the Eagle II
he intended to be a candidate for con-
gress, he brought his chubby hand down
over his features in a gesture of delibera-
ton and answered slowly:
4 do not know about that"
VIII there be fusion in Oklahoma this
year?"
There certainly viii be fusion" he an
swered quickly. "Of course there are a
few unhappy spirits who are fighting the
idea, both among the Popuists and the
Democrats, but there will be fusion. be-
cause the masses Of the two parties are
harmonious"
DO you look for an early or a late con-
vention to nominate delegate to con-
gress?"
81 look for late conventions in both
parties. territorial conventions held after
the national conventions"
How viii the fight be made in the
territory"
ION national issues, the trusts, the
financial question and other matters Of
like import"
How do YOU think the trusts can be
curtailed?"
Il believe there is only one way. Now,
/ firmly believe that we can get up on the
rostrum and pound them till doomsday
ard they viii still be with US; I believe
that We can get into conventions and de-
nounce them in their platforms and they
viii still be with US; we can take con-
Gressional action against them and they
will still be with US; the present con
Bress might today pass an ironcIad law
against them, and the trusts would suIl
be there. Now, think that they can be
got at, and the way / would co it is by
constitutional amendment providing
that whenever the people. through a
house of representatives. and a senate,
and a president, have made a law it
shall be law and stand in force and
effect until it is repealed by the same
agencies. mean by that. that tie
supreme court SHAH not have the power
20 declare national en8ctments unconsti-
rutional."
"a national law effects n corporation
or syndicate. The syndicate takes that
law to q federal Judge; he decides in
favor Of the syndicate on constitutional
grounds The controversy goes to the
supreme court. and the supreme court del
cares the law a eood thing for TIL peo-
PIE. q benefcent enactment but regrets
10 find that it Is unconstitutional Why? !
The federal judges. l believe. are honest
men. But they are taken from the ranks
OF the corporation attorneys. These at
torneys are reared, mentally to take a
corporations views of things. Their
mental equipment is saturated with cor
pOration ideas When a, case comes 10
before one of these corporation attorneys
who has been made judge, he delves
into the constitution of the United States,
and finds that the law before him which
Is corrective Of the corporation is in con-
Gict with the constitution.
Now the constitution. The constitu- |
ton was a compromise, compromise |
adopted after a hard and bitter fight: it |
was a compromise with which no man in |
the constitutional convention was wholly |
in consequence, rs freely as can be twist |
ed and turned the organic act for Okla /
homa. 1t is not difficult Tor a federal |
judge Of corporation education. to find |
in it q saving clause for corporation |
when the corporation is attacked by an
enactment. The supreme court has con-
become the most powerful body
in the world. No potentate no car. has
its power. 1t is above the people and
beyond their wishes. We elect
a congress and president to make a
law Eighty million people endorse that
law Five men. sitting in Washington.
kill that law. Now. 1 would no.
have the supreme court deprived Of
its power to declare tAe acts Of
state legislatures unconstitutional, for
state legislatures sometimes 90 very wild
and foolish things. But l would pat the
national laws beyond the killing power
OF the United States supreme court. 7