Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-06-14
Humbug Exposed.

seeks to explain away the fact that
he had declared himself in favor Of
a constitutional amendment to the
end that congress might have an
abundance OF power to legislate
against the trusts. He begs the ques-
tion by saying he qualified bis declara-
ton; that he did not want such an
amendment until it had been determin-
ed by the supreme court that congress
did not possess the requisite power un.
der the constitution as 1t now stands.
As is well known, the supreme
court already has limited the power
Of congress in the direction Of restrict
ing trusts. In the Knight case it
drew line across which congress can
not 90, but across which it must 90
II it would control the combines in
the manner asked for by Mr.. Bryan's
party. But even on the assumption
that the supreme court had not indi-
Gated the necessity Of constitutional
amendment, what fair objection could
Mr.. Bryan or anyone else have to
proposal that promised to make the
matter douby sureP
The Democratic party has been
playing fast and loose with this trust
question and now 1t stands exposed.
1t set out to build it into presiden-
tial issue, on the suppositiou that the
Republicans in congress would fail to
legislate uponit. Despite his present
quibbling, Mr.. Bryan, few months
ago, was demanding the very consti.
tutiona amendment which he now
condemns. In his Chicago speech
he denounced the supreme court for
holding that the constitution inter.
posed to prevent remedial legislation,
and he then urged that the consti-
tuition should be reformed. More
than this, down to the last minute in
congress the Democrats Of the North
were In favor OF amendment as pro.
posed by the Republicans. They
were overridden by the Democrats Of
the South, and it is with the latter
section OF this party that Mr.. Bryan
is now standing. In letter to The
Journal, Congressman Long, Of Kan
sas, gives some inside history that
hitherto has not beer made public and
we take the liberty to quote him as
follows;
"The fact that congress exhausted
It's powers in passing the Sherman
bill is conceded by all con-
,titutional lawyers. The house has
amended this law in n few particulars,
but has not extended It's powers, be-
,ause, had 1t done so, the act would
AVE been declared unconstitutional.
At the same time the Republicans
presented an amendment TO the con-
'titution giving congress the power
hat it lacked. This Is what Mr..
Bryan contended for, yet while every
but two voted for the
oint resolution, only five Democrats
voted for it. The Democrats OF the
North favored the amendment. How
aver, they only numbered So, whereas
The Democrats of the South numbered
l05. The Democrats caucused on the
subject, and the l05 members from the
South, imbued with the doctrine Of
states rights, overcame the Northern
who then fell in line against
The amendment
At the command Of King Caucus,
then the Northern Democrats threw
down their antitrust banners and ran,
while behind them came Bryan with
his standard in the dust-as in
glorious spectacle as the country
ever saw.
But what, may we ask, is the DEM
ocratic party going to do with that
antitrust issue that has nurtured 50
longP win it have the audacity to
appear before the people with anti
trust in It's platform after voting in
In congress in favor Of the trust
causep Can 1t hope 10 convince any.
one Of its sincerity after making the
record which 1t did last week. Even
before the party had officially allied
itself with the trust lobby that was
in Washington to defeat the
the proposed constitutional amend.
ment there was grave reason for
Its honesty Of purpose. The