Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-04-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.
rom our Regular CORRESPONDENT

l w OOii> IL. Oss ApIIl L.
gravest problem which has confronted
The Congress of the United States sine,
the question of secession was disposed
of will be uppermOst In the deliberations
and debates of the Fifty-ninth Con
gress which, the President has recent
ly announced, he will assemble in ex
traordinary session on October Is, next
Ii the coming Congress does its dut,
it will largely determine for many fu
ture decades the extent to winch the
federal government shall 90 in its In
depreciation of that clause in the con-
stltutlOn which reads, The Congress
shall have power to regulate com
| merce among the several States. y
Simple as this statement appears il
| has been construed with increasing
latitude until the Anti Rebate law aud
the Interstate Commerce Act have
been declared to come within it's scope
and the most important question
which the next Congress will have to
decide is whether or not this clause
contains sufficient warrant to enable
Congress to declare what shall and
what shall not be consider ed just rate
to be charged by railroads for trans
portatlOn. The proposition advanced
by Commissioner of Corporations Gar
field, that the federal government has
the power to compel all corporations
tranSacting an interstate business to
take out a federal license is also based
On this clause as 10 the same officials
proposition that the federal govern
ment has the power to regulate the
transaction of insurance business
To those legislators who, with strict
regard for their oath to support the
constitution, adopt conservative view
regarding its Interpretation, the radi.
calism OF the present administration.
the general disposition to maintain
that the provisions OF the constitution
must be broadened in proposition to
the growth and increasing complexity
of the nation and the insistence in
some quarters that strict interpreta-
ton OF the constitution is old fashion
ed and out of date, seems dangerous
and abhorrent. In a policy which
would stretch the constitution beyond
the avident meaning OF its trainers,
they can detect nothing but pOrteDs of
disaster, the small beginning of what,
once adopted, will mean in time radi-
cal departure from the constitution it.
self and ultimately the adoption of ev.
cry form of radicalism demanded by
popular clamOr. In support of this
view they contend that it is manifest
that the trainers of the constitution,
by the clause quoted, Intended only TO
empower the federal government ~ to
regulate commerce between Gns States
as to insure the absence of all discrimi.
nation and the additions of those Gus.
toms, duties and other forms OF embar-
go which, during the days of Fedora
tion, contributed so seriously to the
ills which attended the nation in it's
infancy. If the constitution in its pres
ent form is not suitable to existing con-
ditiOns, they argue, then let it be
but under no circumstances
permit the slightest deviation from the
true intent OF the trainers of that in
strument.
Those who oppose this view declare,
however, that such a narrow view of
the constitution itself, SO close au ad-
herrence to the doctrine that the rights
of the Sovereign States must not be
will necessarily place the peo-
pie at the mercy of those corporate in
terests which by the lavish use of
money can always corrupt sufficient
number OF State legislatures to pre-
vent the success of any proposed
of the constitution, how
aver meritorious, which would even
end to curtail the liberties or the Ii.
tense of corporate wealth. The pro-
)lem is too deep for extensive discus
ion in news letter but the foregoing
Insertions NAV serve in a measnre TO
Indicate to the thinkers of the nation
he gravity and complexiLy of the Dro.
lem with which the next j,onpress will
70 called upon to deal.
President Roosevelt. after consuItino
With Senators German. Spooner and
lodge and the memhers of his cahinar
as notified Santo Dominica of his o.
emit on behalf of the TTnited States RI
be arrangement prOposed nv President
forales as the onlv practicahIe mesns
f 80 preserving existinp cond,t,ons in
hat distraught RenuhI,c "A tn mshs
ossible the execution of the nrovisions
f the pending treaty in the event thar
be treaty. is ratified nv the Sanats
ext autumn. The proposit,on of
anto Domingo WAS tnst pres,dsnr
assent to the annoinfment i
American citizens to take CHARGE of
ne Dominican customs nous ,.nIIac,
1e revenues and nav to the Dominc.n
Dyernment As her cent of the ~r"ss
.ceipts tho ramainino az no. 80
ss the cost of colIect,0n ha dsnos;ts1
soma New York hsnk to ~ ~
NJ i'm of tho Sspata
In snhmittino the foragoi,o ,ronos,
on Presjdent Morales no,ntad on,
-. Wv
Wait the action of the ITnitad AZ
enate in the absence of some arrnnos.
ent which insure tine continnanca Of
listing Conditions and the DomInican
residents assertion has been nromnt-
verified by the Italian Ambassador
DO Yesterday called at the Stare Ds.
.rtmept to learn offfciaIIv If the 70. :
,rted assent of president RoosevsIt
as correct and who then staI.d that
the absence of such assent h,s com
NAS VIVA |