The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-06-07
OLD FEDERAL IDEA
SENATOR RAYNER TAKES ISSUE
WITH BRYAN.
Debate Within the Party Must Settle
lts Future Position - Maryland
Statesman Sees Revival OF
Federalism.

The magazine debate between Mr..
Bryan and Senator Beverage on the
constitutional question OF the re.
served rights Of the states and Incl
dentally of the Beveridge bill to regu'
late labor in factories, known as the
child labor bill. has been generally
read. To Democrats the discussion is
Of transcendent interest, for II fore.
shadows a much more Important de-
bate within the Democratic party on
the issues OF states rights and home
rule. The first installment comes
from Senator Rayner of Maryland in
the Baltimore Sun OF May Is, in which
he sumarizzes the policies advocated
by Mr.. Bryan as follows:
"First-ultlmate ownership Ivy the
government OF all the interstate rail.
roads Of the United States.
"Second-The initiative and referen.
dunn.
"Third--Congress TO have the right
TO arbitrarily fix tho total product OF
all interstate corporations, quasl.pub
lie and private, and to destroy their
business II they transgress the con-
gressional limit.
"Fourth--The supreme power OF
congress to prescribe the terms upon
which ali interstate commerce shall be
conducted. and whenever congress
(Which. OF course. means the domi.
nant party conceivcs IL TO be against
public policy. 1t shall have the right
absolutely to prohibit commercial In.
tercoursc between the states upon
the interdlcted article las 10 fully ex-
empliiied In the provisions OF the child
labor bilD.
MY own deliberate judgment 10 that
II We embody these doctrines In a
Democratic platform the next step
that viii be necessary to take will be
to change the name OF the party and
revive the name OF 'Federalist, or take
some other title suitable to the occa.
sion; and then, after We have done
this. the final step will be, with our
leaders in the van. in solemn process.
sion TO accompany the remains OF De.
mocracy to their resting place; and
when we are engaged In performing
the last sad rites and obsequies. and
are commemorative her departed yir.
tues. do not let us forget TO recount
the tragic manner OF her death, so that
posterity shall know that In the hour
~ bor brfgbfaat bono and p,nat aIIur
Ing prospects, determined TO end her
great historic career. she threw her.
self upon the poisoned weapon OF fed.
eral Capitalization, and died of self.
inflicted wound"
Democratic voters will have to de-
eide these issues before they elect
and instruct delegates to the next ma.
tional convention, and to do 30 must
Investigate the arguments on both
sides TO arrive at Just conclusion.
Mr.. Bryan has so clearly stated his
case that It Is not necessary to repeat
It. Senator Rayner's summary has
led the Baltimore Sun TO say:
Tho discussion of all these theories
of government, the suggestion Of Sec.
rotary Root that the constitution be
changed by construction 30 as to de-
priye the states of their reserved
rights; the Beveridge bill and Mr..
Bryan's doctrines-all these things
have tended to direct public attention
to questions of policy and constitution
al law which have been dormant al.
most during this generation. Such a
mastery exposition as that OF Sena.
tor Rayner, by so profound student
Of the constitution as he is, will do
much to bring the people to the old
paths"