The Washington bee., 1907-06-22
COLONEL HARVEY AND THE
CONSTITUTION.
the PrOyIdence IournaI.

From the Providence Journal.
Colonel George Harvey, editor of Har-
per's Weekly and the North American
Review, is as bad as Mr.. Dick, who
could not get Charles l. out Of his head.
The Constitution is so firmly imbedded
in the Coloners consciousness that not
all the glamour of White House sue
cesses, nor the rise of other issues Of
national Importance, nor the soft lure
.Of the approaching summer, is suficten,
to eNricate It. In the last number Of
Harper's Weekly, Colonel Harvey says
1T is perfectly obvious that the real
issue in the next Presidential contest
will be, if it is not obscured by astute
politicians, between our written Consti-
tuition and no Constitution at all"
This is interestig if true. 1t has been
thought by inferior observers Of the sit
uation that the tariff might take a con-
spicuous part in the national debate, or
railway rates, or the curbing Of the
trusts. or the ancient question of capital
versus labor in some new and acute man
Hesitation; but this is evidently not so
The Constitution is to be the one great
issue OF the campaign. Are you for or
against the immortal instrument? Do
you stand with Madison, Sherman. Els
worth and Harvey or with Roosevelt
and the rest of the destructionists7 It
is no longer a controversy between strict
and loose construction. Everybody used
to believe in the Constitution, but each
man had his own peculiar views as to
the Interpretation of it. Marshall and
Webster, Clay and Calhoun, Wed with
one another in their expressions of af-
lection for the noble charter of Ameri-
can liberties. but a change has come
over the spirit of our dream. 1T is
perfectly obvious says Colonel Har-
vey. that the real issue will be
between our written Constitution
and no Constitution at all" In the
language Of an earlier patriot, MY I!
amt it terrible? Wut shall we du?'
The attacks on the Constitution, ac-
cording to Colonel Harvey. are being
made by indirection. One of them IS
aimed at the abandonment of the COM
merce clause; another (led by Secretary
Root prefers adverse judicial construc-
tions; a third (Senator Beveridge'sl >
would destroy it by legislation" These
unmanly assaults distress the good Col
onel. He cries: "Why will not the foes
of the Constitution come out into the
open? If they will not, why do not the
! friends of the Constitution drag them
out? At any rate, the real issue is this.
! OF course II Is. The Constitution, II
must and shall be preserved. All pseu-
do-patriots with designs upon it viii
either come out of their lairs and adj
vance in courageous fashion where thC
/ Harvey Brigade can see them. or desist
from their baleful attacks upon our fun
damental law. Let everything bc fair
and above board. If anyone IS dissatis-
fed with the Constitution he should at
tack it like a man. OF emigrate. There
must be no talk Of amendments. The
/ instrument as II stands IS perfect, en-
bodving the wisdom Of the ages. Eigh
teenth-century DEGREES are just as gooc
for the twentieth century as they were
for the time in which they were made
Time does not make ancient good un
. couth. but the Constitution-tinkers make
Colonel Harvey very very tired. It i
, q nafhetiC spectacle.