Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-06
II MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

1t makes difference who says
: things. This fact is nowhere more
clearly shown than in the treatment
of the standpat press of Roosevelts
Harrisburg speech. Suppose Governor
Cumn1ins had intimated that the SUI
preme court had heretofore interpre-
Gtated the constitution in too narrow a
fashion and had said 1T is the mar
+ row construction of the powers of the
3 national government which in our
democracy has proved the chief means
of limiting the national power to- cut
5 out abuses, and which is now the chief
bulwark Of those great moneyed inter-
iests which oppose and dread any at
tempt to place them under efficient:
government control" What might we
expect if these had been the words of
the governor instead of the president.
s 1t is safe to say there would have been
a great wall about tearing down the
constitution attacking the judic1-
ary,'' ad infiinitum.
1t will be remembered that during
the session of our legislature last
winter Governor Cummins made. a
public statement to the effect that Ger
tain captains of intrigue" were seek
ing to prevent the passage of legisla-
ton deemed wise in the interest of the
people. 1t called down the wrath of
his opponents and stirred up censure
without limit. Yet we hear no faul.
found with President Roosevelt when
he declares, in arguing for increase of
the power of the federal government:
If we fail thus to increase it, We
show our impotence and leave our
selves al the mercy of those ingenious
legal advisers of the holders of vast
corporate wealth, who, i'll the perform
ance of what they regard as their duty,
and to serve the ends of their clients,
invoke the law at one time for the con-
founding of their rivals, and at an
other time strive for the notification
of the law, in order that they them
selves may be left free to work their
unbridled will on these same rivals, OF
on those who labor for them, or on the
general public. In the exercise of their
profession and in the service of their
clients these astute lawyers strive to
prevent the passage of efficient laws
and strive to secure judicial determine
tons of those that pass which shall
emasculate them. They do not invoke
the constitution in order to compel the
due observance of law by rich and poor.
by great and small: on the contrary.
they are ceaseiessly on the watch to cry
out that the constitution is violated
whenever any effort is made to invoke
the aid of the national government,
whether for the efficient regulation Of
railroads. for the efficient supervision
Of great corporations, or for efficiently
securing obedience to such law as the
national eight -hour law and similar
so-called labor statutes
"The doctrine they preach would |
make the constitution merely the shield |
of Incompetence and the excuse for !
government paralysis: they treat it as I
a justification for refusing to attempt |
the remedy of evil, instead of as the I
source of vital power necessary for tile |
existence of mighty and ever grow
ing ration"
ne ingenious legal advis |
- po.ate wealth" striving to
na.t.fv fi,.. law? Could it be Mr. Blythe |
and his henchmen? Who are the "as
tute lawyers" who strive to prevent the
passage Of efficient laws and who strive
to secure judicial determination of |