Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-22
AT THE MARSHFIELD FAIR
Refers to Recent Legislation in the
Congress.
DENOUNCES SOME PRACTICES
Financial Setback Not Far Away.
Tendency of Times to Centralize
Power at Washington.

MARSHFIELD, Mass August Prep
resentative Samuel W. Mccall was the
chief object of interest at the big fair here
today and his speech before an immense
audience was a subject of much comment.
Among other things he said:
"One of the United States judges has
Just imposed a fine of such proportions
that it allies itself with the tribute which
| victorious nation imposes upon a van
pushed one fine that probably is not
greatly exceeded by the aggregate of all
other fines imposed by our federal courts
since the establishment of the government.
The offense was the receiving OF discrim-
mating rate from railroad company.
Whether the fines right or wrong, or
whether an ordinary shipper would have
been even subjected to prosecution upon
,he exact facts of this case l shall not ar
cue. AS Mr.. Bonaparte is not engaged in
mixing the Constitution this year, but an
lounces that he is after game, he might
y willing to take whatever came But 1
lllude 10 the matter simply for the purpose
If calling your attention to our railroad
legislation.
Three years ago Congress was asked to
onfer upon an executive department the
over to fix railroad rates as a remedy for
abroad discrimination. At that time there
repOSeu upon the statute DOCKS lIle very ACT
Sdinst rebates and discrimination under
which this third million dollar fine has
Jeen imposed, a statute so sweeping that 1t
cot merely prohibits beyond question the
giving the accepting of discriminatory
ate, but which, the law officers of the
government now contend, subjects Il ship
'er to a heavy penalty even where he ac-
epts rate in absolute good faith and
Nth no reason to believe he is getting an
legal rate. The question suggests ITSELF
Why were not old laws enforced rather
AN new ones demanded?
Governments Costly Practices
The practice in government of expanding
he maximum amount of noise and dis
urbance to secure the minimum of good
nay Re diverting but it is costly. 1t OBJ
rerated great foreign trade in packed
heats in ord>r to get legislation which
very packer wanted. AS to the improve
nents in meat, they are mainly seen in the
-moval of the defects existing in the
;nasinations of some soc 'ologists and in
he consequent silence of those gentlemen
And then, too. we have with the noble
army of well paid federal inspectors.
This procedure has been followed in Sc
curing the railroad legislation. | do not
refer to the Elkins Statute which is doing
business today, but ! refer to this rate bill
believe that the poutlistic agitation start
ed, far more than the legislation which
suited. has financially and industrially done
serious injury to the country. Railroad
building has been effectively stopped. If
similar public sentiment had been aroused
sixty years ago many of our great common
wealths would today be unsettled areas
still under the domain of the buffalo and
the wolf
Near Financial Setback.
Prophets of disaster were not wanting
two years ago, of whom l confess, 1 was
one, who predicted some of the evil results
no to
pretty near the edge of a financial setback.
Economically industrial crisis at this
time would be senseless and wanton; but we
should already have had one if our pros
perity had not been well-nigh invulnerable.
There is a likelihood, too, that the step that
has been taken will some day lead to the
ownership of railroads by the government
on the principle that he who fixes the price
of a commodity will ultimately own it.
The effect of the rate bill will be to aug
ment the executive power beyond all ra-
tional limits.
This town holds w6hin its bosom all that
is mortal of one who was the greatest
orator and probably the greatest states
man America has produced No one who
reads Webster's contributions to the po-
litical literature of the country will ever
favor personal as against constitu
tional regime. Hear what he says upon
this very point of executive power: THE
contest of the ages has been to rescue lib
erty from the grasp of executive power.
On the long list of champions of human
freedonrsthere Is not name dimmed by
the reproach of advocating the extension of
executive authority.
= The Tendency of the Times.
The tendency of the times appears to be
first to centralize all power at Washington,
and then to have it all exercised by one
man But l say let the people keep, to be
exercised under their very eyes, all the
governmental powers not necessary to ma
tonal unity and safety, and let them ad-
here to representative government. If you
have government by representatives
chosen with reasonable fidelity you will
have a government by the people.
The extreme views of one representative
in one direction will be onset by the eX
IRENE views of another in another direction
and the result will be a safe and rounded
government. But If yo:r government is
imaged in one man there will be grave
tiles of the man. You are liable some day
to have President supr ~iy lacking in
the qualities of a statesman one who is
egotistic, impulsive, of immature judgment
a mere glutton of the limelight ready to
barter away prosperity and even his coun-
try's freedom for momentary applause.
If he is an autocrat, such as he is such
for the time will your country be- Instead
of a mighty nation, great in her physical
strength and greater in her moral qualities,
you may have strutting, confscatlng,
shrfeking, meddling America. God save US
from such a day.
Adhere. then. 10 the representative gov
government which from the foundation of
the world has cherished human freedom.