Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-08-09
GENERALIZATION OF POWER
Republican Congress Sells Peoples
Birthrfght.

EtepuDllcan Sells IeODIe'o
Bfrthright.
1t will be some time before we 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 nam
ed bills will have to be passed upon by
the supreme court before we know
where we are at. So far as indorsing
that legislation, the voters at the next
election will have to vote blindly. The
railroads evidently believe that they
have not much to fear from rate regu-
lation, SO far as any reduction of rates
Is concerned, or the price of their
stocks would not be so strongly main
tanned.
The beef packers profess to be more
than satisfied with the meat inspection
bill, as they may well be, considering
that a Republican congress so kindly
put the cost on the American tax
payer. Regarding the building of the
Panama canal, no n but the engineers
will know the progress that is being
made, and all the people of the United
States will be sure of is that the an
nual bills will be paid for by them and
that the cost will be increased $40
100000 or more by the decision Of the
republican congress that all the sup
plies must be bought Of the tariff fos-
tered trusts unless the president de-
cides the price charged is extortion-
ate. That, Of course, the president
will not be called upon to de-
eide, for the trusts and combines
will keep just within what might
be looked upon as extortionate. Thus
all the proposed reform and remedial
legislation that has been heralded with
such a strenuous flourish of trumpets
and beating of tomtoms dwindles
down to a mess of pottage for the peo-
pie. They may not have sold their
birthright, but it looks vastly possible
that the Republican leaders have mort
gagged 1t for them and that the trusts
and corporations expect to foreclose in
due time.
The congress has taken a most rad
ical position IN placing in the hands
Of the president the prerogatives Of
power n has declared for centraliza-
ton In the federal government of SOW
ereignty more than the old Federalists
under Hamilton urged or desired. In
the hands of a patriot the increased
power of the president may do no harm
and may be of service in controlling
congress and the bad elements of his
party, but if a tyrant or an ambitious
creature of corporations should be
elected chief magistrate and should
desire to %perpetuate his public service
it would be quite difficult to depose
him by constitutional methods.
The president now has the army, the
navy, the militia, the officeholders, a
vast swarm of them, at his beck and
call. He has power to secretly inquire
into the doings of corporations that Oh
crate outside of one state. He has all
the machinery Of the federal courts.
the attorneys and United States mar
shals, whose deputies might be in
creased without end, to indict and
punish such as might not bow submits
sfvely to his sovereign will or disgorge
assessments that might be levied
against such corporations and individ-
uals as might Intentionally or care
lessly have broken or evaded the law,
Even many Of the federal judges would
not be independent of him or at least
enough would be found to enforce the
law with an eye to their W advan-
tage.
Such in brief are the conditions that
now confront us through the constant
subserviency of a Republican congress
to an executive clothed with vast pow
er. 1t commenced with Mckinley un-
der the absurd scare of the war with
Spain and has been gradually growing
until it has become a menace under
Roosevelt. The latter may be a pa
triot, though most people doubt it and
think him consumed with ambitious
projects. He has declared he will not
be a candidate for a third term, and
for their own ultimate salvation the
people must take him at his word.