Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-26

has been opened wider and wider i'm
lrecent times for the admission of the
general government into participation
In the internal affairs of the states.
We do not wish to close that door,
but 1t does behoove all who love our
institutions to guard, so far as they
can, against entry through it of
those forces of GENERALIZATION which,
under the mere pretense of regulating
interstate commerce, are now clamor.
ing for admission.
Admitted unguardedly, they will
throng thick and fast over all the
barriers of the constitution and re-
duce to ruin the citadel of local self
government, so long and so fondly
believed to be the palladium of our
! liberties. 1t is no fancied danger
against which presume to warn you.
Examples of this mode of seeking
to surmount the bulwarks erected by
the constitution against encroach-
ments on the rights of the states are
in evidence at each session of con-
gress. It is a trick easily practiced.
| II Is only to insert in bill the words
$50 far as affects commerce among
the states" and there are never
wanting those who, to forward pri-
vate interests or class interests, pro-
pose enactments by congress to con-
troll the most intimate and exclusive
police powers of the state-powers
which affect the everyday business
and conduct of their citizens.
1t hardly needs pointing out how
dangerous such abuse of the tremen-
dous power conferred by the COM
merce clause of the constitution may
become. Thanks to the common
sense and wisdom of congress, many
os those propositions do not escape
the limbo of the committees to which
they are consigned. But 1t some
times happens otherwise. A con-
spicious instance OF this occurred In
lIlt ldbl HtbHlOh VI Nphtai Noos @hA oP
peal to place all child labor under
federal control, on the pretext that
| its product might enter into inter-
state commerce, was reported from
the committee, and seriously and ably
discussed by it's distinguished advo-
cate. or course, " one kind of labor
can be brought in this way within the
purview. of congressional legislation,
all kinds OF labor can, and IL Is easy
TO see, II such projects were success
full, that little power of managing
their own affairs would be left to
the states. Emasculated and degrad-
ed, we might expect that they would
soon lapse into the condition OF pro-
vinces, to be governed by the satraps
of central government.
Jealous reformers, as well, as So
clal sciollsts, possessed with the
sense of their own altruism, are eager
TO enlist for the advancement of
their schemes the all pervading and
powerful agency of the central gov
ernment. They little heed the con-
sequences that may flow from their
mistakes, which will fall at once up
on the whole people, from ocean TO
ocean and from the lakes to the gulf,
and not upon the people alone OF a
single state.
1t is a doctrine full of peril TO our
liberties that congress may seize up
on any weapon It pleases out of the
great armory of federal powers and
WELD it for a purpose for which 1t
was not there deposited.
And what are we to say of the sug-
gestlon recently made that II con-
gress is dissatisfied with the control
given it by the constitution over In
terstates commerce 1t may arrogate
TO itself the power of control all
commeree-that which is confined
within state boundaries as well as
that which is interstates in its char
lacter? The specific power under
(which this claim is 10 De mhde 49, l
believe. the power TO establish post
offices and postroads, which is among
the legislative powers enumerated In
the eighth section of the first article
of the constitution. No intimation
is made as to the creation and build
ing of a postroad by the government
or of any needed regulation In the
Interest of the postal service of those
Iroads over which that service is con-
ducted. 1t is bald assertion OF the
fright to exercise a power not grant
ed, under color and guise of an essen
italy different power granted for a
specific purpose. in the exercise OF
lxvhich the noWpr DrODOsed 10 be