The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-11-02
THE COMING ELECTION.

y iers
We are near another presidential
election, with the possibility (quite
likely a probability, of the election Of
the president for the next four years,
and all the evil consequences that will
follow.If such sad event should oc-
cur. how can the voters excuse them-
selves, when they have been so thor
oughly forewarned? Is not the spell-
binder in the land, warning us of the
great peril before us? They do not tell
US that there is anything the matter
now. but rather a prophecy Of some-
thing to come, if there is not change
of the national administration. VIII
any one dispute that for the last few
years, and at present, this country is
enjoying greater prosperity thar. ever
before, and with a good prospect Of its
continuing? We are told, from such
high authority as ex-President Cleve-
land, that all this prosperity has come
from the favor Of the Almighty; and
the party in power has not had any
thing to do with it. Still, the mass Of
the people seem to be pretty well sat-
listed with present conditions, and
while thankful for the blessings that
come from above, think that human
agencies have much to do in the use of
these blessings, and for the present
may think best to ''let well enough
alone" rather than to enter on a doubt
full experiment.
Still it may be in place to examine
the reasons offered for d change of
government. Well, the Constitution is
in danger. This is not new thing.
think / have heard the same every
presidential election for more than fifty
years, and the extreme view that has
been held by one party for the last
hundred years has been a prolific
source Of evil all this time. It has
been held that having only delegated
powers, nothing could be done, which
was not expressly authorized by that
instrument, even if not forbidden by 1t.
i It is amusing to any one posted with
the political history Of this country,
and the political parties Of the past, to
be referred to such men as Jefferson,
Jackson and others of that party. We
are told, let us get back to ne princi-
pies that governed these great men 81
the past, Where was the warrant for
1.-THE purchase of Louisiana? Did not
Jefferson himself acknowledge that
there was no warrant in the Constitu-
ton or the laws of the land for such a
bold act, and was forced to much illog-
icaI reasoning to justify. his conduct
A few words from this great apostle OF
democracy. 1.-THE less that is said
about any constitutional difficulty. the
better. It will be desirable for con-
Igress to do what is necessary in ST.
lenee." Whatever congress shall
think it necessary to do should be done
with as little debate as possible, and
particularly so faras respects the con-
lstitutional difficulty." still more:
| The Constitution has made no proyi-
sion for our holding foreign territory
still less for Incorporating foreign ma
tons into our union. The executive, in
seizing the fugitive occurrence, which
lsc much advances the good of the
country. has done an act beyond the
Constitution Much more might be
Iquoted in this line. What consequent
ces for good have followed from this
Unconstitutional act.
James K. Polk is not often quoted in
late years, but how does his conduct
and that of his party, square with the
Constitution? The war with Mexico
was begun and well under way, by the
president, previous to any legislative
sanction. Not only was the territory
between the Nueces and Rio Grande
rivers, which was in dispute, seized
with very little previous effort to adj
lust the difficulty peaceably, but troops
were sent to the Pacific coast, where
we had no claim, and we acquired that
vast territory, not BY fair purchase
but with our armies in possession OF
/ the capital Of Mexico, we offered not
one-fourth of its value, but on the
stand and deliver principle of we will
give you what we please, and you cam
/ not help yourselves. No doubt it was
a good thing for us, and perhaps in the
end an advantage to Mexico, but this
does not alter the principle involved.
Yhen all things are considered in the
light Of history, all the criticisms that
have heen made of President Roose-
welt in the Panama matter are insigni-
fieant in comparison with some of the
bright and shining lights of democracy
in the past The necessity for a canal
was hundred times greater for this
nation and the world than that of hav-
| ing the strip Of land between the Rio
Grande and Nueces rivers. The offer
of ten million dollars for the right Of
way was better than to take it by
force, but in Justice, Colombia, which
was to receive such direct benefits, in
stead Of charging anything, should
have given literally as bonus to any
one taking the risks of such a formula
bic and doubtful undertaking, $50 far as
any returns on the Investment is con-
cerned. If Colombia had a right to de-
lmand more than the sum offered, and
as much as she saw fit, then two hum
dred millions could have been asked,
and five millions a year for all time to
come. Would not the final result have
been that the necessities OF the world
were so great that the territory would
| have been seized by some power, and
| the canal built, with the common con-
sent of most, if not all, of the nations
| interested I'M this work The Colon
bian government was showing itself "a
dog in the manger,' not building the
canal themselves nor willing that any
other parties should do it, except on
conditions that were prohibitive The
French people had spent about two
| hundred millions of dollars on the ca
nal, in work largely experimental, and
imuch Of this was not from capitalists,
Of ,,or,. ,aaoY1In