The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-07-01
Especial washington Letter

short of the requisite two-thlfuS-tne
house of representatives rejected the
much vaunted Republican constitution
nj amendment Had the Republicans
been sincere in their proposition and
recognized the self evident fact that
constitutional amendments must repre-
sent the sentiment and carry the mp
proval of practically the unanimous
vote of the people of the United States
they would have presented an amend
ment that could have been adopted.
+ But the Republicans insisted on mar
row partisan action. 1t must he Re
publican amendment or none. The Re
publican majority of the judiciary com
mittee refused permission to the Dem
ocratic minority to either debate or or
fer suggestions in committee. 1t even
becomes apparent that. under Sulse OF
a constitutional amendment directed
Ostensibly against trusts. Il scheme was
being devised which would transfer to
congress and take away from the states
the practical legislative control OF all
corpora tions. combinations ana part
nerships. not only of trusts. but evet or
labor organza tions, farmers alliances
and mutual benefit associations.
4. Representative Littlcticld of Maine
was pnt forward to champion the
amendment. \ few weeks ago he star
tled the country by his Remuneration OF
the Republicans for stu!tifylnS them
selves in erecting tariff wall between
Poto Rico aud the United States He
gained some brief notOriety by his In
dependent dance on the quarter deck
Of the Republican caralboat. but when
Mark Hanna yelled Low bridge.A Mr.
Littlctcld promptly duckcd.
His defense of the amendment was
not satisfactory even To the Republic
, ans. 1t w;S characterized hy the mar
roweSt of partisan animosity, which
had the effect. if it had any ut al. of
solidfying Democratic opposition and
defeating the amendment.
! 1t can only be presumed that that
was the Republican purpose. 1t GER
tainly tits in with all Republican ac-
ton bCariug upon the trusts. 1t IS over
three ycaT, since Mckinley entered the
White House Yet the Republicans wait
until Il week Of the adjournment of
congress to bring forward legislation
bearing I'll the trusts
: The Republicans have allowed weeks
of debate On comparatively unimpOr-
tant measures. Vet tlieE allowed scarce
ly Il hours for dcbatc on the most rad
ical proposition for amending the con
stitutiun ,hat has ever been offered.
It is only too evident that they had
no intention of passing the amendment
or of lis ever securin" ratification. 1t
was Il political subterfuge pure and
simple. designed to fcol tie country in
the vain cndcavor to rc-elect Mckinley
in November.
The main feature of the amendment
was contained in section >:
Congress shall have power to define,
regulate. prohibit ar dissolve trusts,
monopoIics or combinations. whether
existing in the form Of q corporation or
otherwise
The Dc,lccrats Immediately pointed
out that this could be made to embrace
labor unions. farmers alliances and
benefit associations and offered an
amendment narrowing the operation OF
the section to organizations and com
binations Of capital, but this PROPOSE
tion the Republican leaders refused
even the poor privilege of Il test vote,
fearing to have their party put on rec
ord on 50 important n matter.
Attention was called to the fact. anti
by a prolnin"nt Republican at that.
uemocratlc wee presIdentIaI mt
nation are already in Kansas
| and working hard to secure
nomination. The contest
RrnmenJ. practICany uos..v, re-
maininC rights of states and reduce
world has ever seen.
An amendment offered by the Demo
Gratis tn make the power of the states
concurrent with that of the genera
government in respect of the proposed
amendment was also rejected, and the
Republican argument was that il
would lead to conflicts of jurisdiction
This argument is puerle when it is re
membcrcd that the states have concur
rent Jurisdiction with the general gov
ernment in i hundred directions nov
and conflict of jurisdiction is almos
unrecortiCd.
vi lliNisA-ttC EtOIiS CNClH HAdit La
laws against selling liquor without :
license, with punishment by fine an'
imprisonment The federal govern
ment has similar laws covering idcnti
cally the same offtESe. yet who eve
heard of tie federal government and
state being brought into collision owe
the execution of these laws or the pun
ishmcnt OF criminals?
The state of New York and the na
tional government have quarantin
regulations affecting the port of Nev
sYork, yet the two functions are carries
on in relation to the same vessels with
out sign Of friction.
Conccding for the argument that th
amendment might be directed agains
trusts, two further points were mad
by the Democrats: First. n trust woul
merely have to take out charter +