Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-03-08
CANNON BLAMES THE PEOPLE

Uncle Joe Cannon has given his |
opinion on what ails things in general |
within the United States,--and when |
Uncle Joe Cannon passes his sober |
judgment on any matter the American
people look up.
The occasion for the latest utter.
ance was an assembly at the Union
League Club Of Philadelphia, and the
main topic, the best methods for hand.
ling the railroads and kindred or worse
monopoliesf. Cannon passes the whole
responsibility back to the people; tells
them that they are at fault and govern.
ment is becoming too centralized.
Inc leading points of the address fol.
low:
I'm my judgment the greatest dan.
ger to the Republic comes from the cit.
izeu who refuses or neglects to partici.
pate in governing in local, State, and
National affairs. and seeks protection
from the Government to which he does
not contribute according to his ability
or means.
I'm my Judgment. the danger now to
us is not the weakening Of the Federal
Government, but rather the failure OF
NlAN AbA TiANN FbNNANitNll RAhNNe w NNNA
else. respectively. their function, their
Jurisdiction, touching all matters not
granted to the Federal Government.
This danger does not come from the
desire OF the Federal Government to
grasp power not conferred by the Con.
stitutlon, but rather from the desire Of
the citizens of the respective states to
cast upon the Federal Government the
responsibility and duty that they
should perform.
III the Federal Government contin.
ues 70 centralize we will soon find that
we will have vast bureaucratic gov.
eminent which will prove inefficient II
not corrupt.
THE Governor of one Of the States
has within a few days written to a
Senator in Congress that his State Is
powerless 20 compel the railways with.
in its borders to extend to its citizens
facilities by proper connection.
switching, and the furnishing of cars
to enable its people to have equal and
fair treatment under similar conditions
with other citzens-and that this con-
dition comes from inability to enforce
law in existence and to enact addition,
al necessary legislation. and in effoct
appealing for relief to the Federal Gov
eminent.
There Is no adequate remedy for
this condition except by the people OF
that State, clothed with plenary pow
err. through the enforcement Of the law
and the enactment OF additional legis
lation, II necessary, to exercise the
functions OF the government. II
were asked what I'd do in this case
I'd say:
THE gods help those who hell
themselves. You're up against It,
"The Federal Government has M
: power to intervene, except by virtue o
its power TO regulate commerce amonl
the States, and the people OF the Stat,
would not be relieved as TO traffic with
In the State"
No one will argue against the wis
dom OF Speaker Cannon's advice that
the people should help themselves
more vigorously. but Il does appear
rather ridiculous for the Speaker Of
the House Of Representatives to b
preaching against the dangers OF cen
tralization. When the people OF th'
various States wake up, as they ar,
urged to do, the man who controls th'
House of Representatives viii find th'
reform reaching methods used in th'
high places Of Washington Cannon
ID right, but he refuses to set an ex
ample by practice.