Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1906-08-10
DECENTRALIZATION OF POWER.

S'" " VT IL
1t will he some time before wo know
the good or bad effects Of the railroad
rate legislation and the meat inspection
and the Panama canal bills. There is
not much doubt that the two first named
bills will have to be passed upon by
the supreme court be!or We know where
we are ut. So far us indorsiug that
legislation, the voters at the next cleo.
ton viii have to vote blindly. The
railroads evidently believe that thcy
have not much to fear from rate regula-
ton, so far as any reduction OF rates
ID concerned, or the price OF their
stocks would not he so strongly main
tanned.
The beef packers profess 10 be more
than satisfied with the meat inspection
bill, III they may well be-, considering
that a republican congress so kindly
put the cost OF the American taxpayer.
Regarding the building OF the Panama
canal, no ono but the engineers will
know the progress that is beiug made,
and all the people OF tho United States
will he sure Of IL that the annual bills
will be paid FOR by them and that the
cost will be increased SIC, 000.000 or
more by the decision OF the republican
congress that all the supplies must he
bought of the tariff fosicred trusts nm
less the president decides the price
charged is ex]tortionate. That, uf course.
the president will not be called upon to
decide. for the trusts aud combines will
keep just within VIVA, might he looked
upon M extort.onatc, Thus all The
proposed reform nnG remedial lcgisla.
ton Tint has been heraidcd wish such a
strenuous flourish Of trumpets and
boating of tomtoms dwindles Gown to u
mess Of pottage Tor the people. They
may not have sold their birthright, but
it looks vastly possible that tie republic
cnn leaders have T~orignged il for thom
and that the trusts and corporations OK.
pect to foroclose III due timc.
Tho congress has taken II most radical
position on placing in the htnds of the
president the prer0gatives Of power aud
has declared for Capitalization IN tn,
federal gor0r nncnt OF sovereignty moe
than the Oil fcder lisis nnler Hamilton
urged or dc aired. In tho h md II
patriot the increased power Of the prrsi
dent may do no hafm and may he 81
service in controlling congress- and Tie
bad clements Of his party, but il u tyrnu
or mn ambitions creature ni cDrrOr .
tons should ne e'octci chi,t ra ~.istra'e
and should de sirc Ia pc potnatc hia
public scrvise il wont ne putt III II sui
to depose him by cOn'iitu ION ii method
Tho proHden; noS his he ar ~, the
navy, tho militi !. tite oil emo iers, -
vast swarm of lilo ~. At his 10 TX aud
call. IIs has pOwc - aet 8 ~ inquire
into the doings II corporations Tint 0p.
crate outside u tty. II, Ia all
the machinery ~ IA, federal rOur ,.
the attorneys aud United sat q mat
shall, whose deputies milh' hC ~ 81 as
cd without end. ~ iDdici aud iuIlish
such rs might nos hoS sulruissi,rly !,
his sovereign will or di.uorgc ,sscGs.
me6ts that might 10 levied ugnpst
such corporations aud individuals ns
might Intentionally or carclcsely have
broken or evadcd The las. Even many
the fcdcnal judges would not be
OF lum or nj least enough
wonld bo found to enforce tile las with
M eye to their Own advantage.
Such IN brief are the conditions Tint
confront us through tue co,stlnt
,ubservicncy Of a republican congress
o MI executive clothed with vast power
II commenced with McKunlcy i'm Ter
ic absurd scnre OF the var wish Spain
md las been gradually growing until IL
lBs become u monaco under Roosevelt.
Tho latter may be a patriot, though
no9i people doubt il and think him