Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-09-27
III Is USURPATION
THAT THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE
WARNED AGAINST.

The President Has Made Capitalization an
Open Issue He and His Supporters Lose
No Opportunity to Loosen the Bond Un-
der the Pretext. Openly Avowed. That
the Constitution Has Outgrown Its Use
fulness-It Would Be Reasonable Ef-
fort if Not Supported. by Such High Au-
thority.
Here is what Judge Alton B. Par
kcr said at the ceremonies of the
Constitutional Day Celebration at
jamestown. in commcmoration of the
l20th anniversary of the adoption of
the Federal Constitution by the Con-
vrntion of III. over which George
Washington presided.
The weather was ideal. the attend
ance large and the principal speaker
at his best when he delivered the fol-
lowing suggestive sentences:
In the view of the President, the
Federal government needs an in
crease of power needs power which
was deliberately declined by the
States and the people when the Ma
ional government was created. True.
there is Il way to transfer that power
from the States to the Federal govern
ment. if the people wish it. but it may
well be said that no amount of labor
would persuade the States to sur
render their home-rule powers in
sufficient measure to meet the views
of the President. as Il national neceS-
sity.
These considerations have had
weight in determining his an
nounccd purpose to obtain an in
crease of the Federal power now,
not through the action of the people.
but through the action of the depart
ments of the government.
The States and the people under
took by the Constitution to fix the
boundaries of the great departments
of government. beyond which neither
could pass. Upon the executive no
Legislative or judicial power was con-
ferred, but he was charged to take
care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted and to protect and defend the
Constitution. BY what process of
reasoning the executive has reached
the conclusion that for the various
departments of the Federal govern
ment to seize power not granted by
the States and the people is to protect
and defend the Constitution, | know
not.
That he must have reached it by
some route, his character as man,
his care as an official and the boldneSs
of his advocacy, attests. He is not
attempting to acquire power by de
ceiving the people.
With perfect frankness he states
what he thinks ought to be done, and
how he proposes it shall be done.
With equal frankneSS those of us
who love the Constitution and revere
not alone the memory, but the wis
dom of its trainers, who believe that
the powers were wisely distributed
between the States and the Federal
government and deem that all past
history proves it, should speak.
Many of the people have not found
time to study the history and the
genesis of the Constitution. Hence
they have no adequate conception of
the perils the trainers sought to
avoid by keeping the powers of the
several branches of government sep
arat6 and distinct.
They are, therefore, naturally in
clined to be impressed with the sug-
gestiOn that the Constitution did
very well when it was made. but that
we have OutgrOwn it, and hence the
representatives of government and
not the people may as well change it
at their pleasure.
If then there were no immediate
danger of an effective seizure of pow
ers, we should, to protect the future,
meet the assaults of the FederalS
with an equal vigor.
They are steadily at work teach
ing and preaching the doctrines of
their sect. So those opposed to their
views should sacrifice any party feel
ing and interest and enter the lists
as open champions of our COnstitu-
tional system in its integrity. The
time to do it is now. Some other
year-aye-eyen next year may be
too late"