New-York tribune., 1903-01-16
4 FOLLOWER OF HILL.

Tho fact that the chairman of the Judiciary
Committee of a Republican House OF Repre-
sentatives has brought forward proposltloh
looking 10 the seizure of the coal mines does
not change the opinion of such measures winch
we emphaticaIly expressed when David b. Hill
brought forward scheme for government own
ership as bait to the socialist vote in the last
campaign. What may be the motives OF Mt
Jenkins we do not attempt to guess. 1t IS 10
he supposed that he believes the government
has power to seize the mines and coal roads
and that necessity exists for its exercise. 1t
is impossible to see, though, how he can nave
expected TO accomplish anything practical
He must know that such an enterprise, in
volving a change in our accepted theory of fed
eral government, even if finally undertaken,
cannot be authorized much less carried out,
without long struggle. There is not the least
chance of accomplishing anything this winter,
and the shortage will be relieved by warm
weather long before the steps necessary to gov
ernment operation can possibly be taken. 1t
looks. therefore, as if the only result of Mr..
Jenkins's craftsmanship will be to furnish a
text for Democrats who want to bring the Hill
coal plank issue before the nation and rally
the Adullamites about it. 1t is one of those
propositions which demagogues can make use
full. and assistance for them is not exactly the
sort of thing TO be expected from Republican
of such standing and responsibility that his
party devolves upon him the important trust
of the Judiciary Committee craftsmanship
If there really was party Of old Democratic
principles such proposition would find no sup
port in it Jeffersonian Democracy has al
ways stood, above all things, for leaving to the
States the full control of their internal affairs.
The idea of invading a State to regulate the
business of its citizens, much less to seize that
business, would have been more abhorrent 10
Jefferson and Madison than a hundred alien
and sedition laws such as led them to espouse
the first doctrine of notification. But men who
call themselves Democrats now advocate all
sorts of wild notions, none wilder than that
scheme of consolidated empire sprung upon the
country by Mr.. Hill last fall at Saratoga. When
the United States Government enters the
States, condemns their territory and national
ICES industries, starting with the coal mines and
the coal carrying roads, this will cease TO be a
federal republic and become a socialistic despot-
ism. Such paternalsm is totally foreign to
the genius Of American institutions and vio-
lates every teaching of its statesmen.
There is not the least chance that Mr.. Jen-
kinss resolution will be passed so as TO permit
even the report which he desires to present.
Perhaps he can get leave TO print il. Adver-
tisements for missionary societies and cham
pagne houses are allowed to appear in The
Record and certainly Mr.. Jenkins's views on
constitutional law are equally pertinent TO the
business of government. We by no means ad-
vocate an unnecessary increase of Congress
sonal printing bills but brief on the law Civ
ing the United States authority TO seize the coal
mines of the citizens of Pennsylvania and the
railroads of the rest Of the country would be
a curiosity. Indeed, perhaps it might be worth
the while of Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, to
copyright il.