Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-15

g0Vernment-and this cooperation
will surely be granted II in no other
way than by substituting the authority
to do so under the power of congress
over interstate commerce or by some
other equally forced construction.
The regulation of swollen fortunes.
the limitation of overgrown corporate
power. the abatement of abuses grow
ing out of undue concentration of
wealth, the adequate taxation of alb
sentee landlords and employers
these problems will call for the CO.
operation of the federal power, and II
it cannot be obtained by direct grant,
it will be inferred or construed or in
terpreted from or. with the constitu
tion as It Is.
There are other great questions
which have not yet become critical
which will call for and receive fed
eral assistance in their solution Edu-
cation is certainly national interest
If there is one. 1t is plain that 1t can
never be adequately cared for without
the cooperation of the federal power.
and 1t is equally plain that this CO.
operation will be given. In fact thsfI
national government has already rem
dered great help in the building up
of our educational institutions and 1t
is only at the beginning of this work.
In short, and this sums up the
whole case--we are today a nation
with an ever increasing consciousness
Of ourunity, with an ever clearer rec
ognition of our solidarity with an
ever increasing determination to do
what is necessary for the welfare of
the nation, no matter what becomes
of the constitution in the process.
We forget sometimes by what a
world of change we are separated
from the times and conditions of the
men who drew the instrument In
agriculture we have introduced the
machine instead of the tools; in in
dustry we have replaced wind and
water by steam and electricity, in poll
tics we have abolished human slavery
and accepted, in principle at least,
manhood suffrage on the basis of the
elective franchise. Theirs was a league
of small states of sparse population,
of little wealth. of small commerce;
without banks; with few schools with
an aristocratic organization of society
based on human slavery. Ours Ia a
nation of world wide extent and inn
portance; leader Of modern states in
agriculture, in commerce, in industry;
democratic In form and becoming ever
more democratic in spirit.
Is It any wonder that a co lst,tution
suited to their conditions is by NJ
means adapted to ours? Or should we
be SURPRISED that we have been COM
PEELED to change this instrumen. partly
| by force as in and after the civil war.
partly by construction and interpssta-
tion and one may almost say by viola
| ton and disregard into something new
and strange which the trainers of the
sJme could by no possibility recos-
nize
The question now Is what of the fu-
ture? About the only thing which is
certain Is that we shall remain one
ma lion and do whatever the interests
OF tie nation demand. BIT shal; we
d. Il IN continuous viola on api le-
fancC of the provisions Of an existing
even though in some respects Obso-
lete, constitution protesting la the
meantime our devotion to this instru-
ment, or shall we adopt in this case
| also the well defined American prac.
| tice of reconstructing the instumen: so
az to bring 1t into harmony wlth our
| present and future conditions
The cry of some people who see
with clear eyes the necessity of some
change in our policy is, Back 10 the
fathers. Give us the constitution as 1t
was. Let US return to the good old
wavs."
This is. Of course, idle prating. The
past is gone never to return and with
it the old constitution, the old prob
lens and their solutions
Ours are the twentieth century
problems and our faces must be to-
ward the twentieth century with all is
threatening but glorious outlook
We have our choice between one of
several policies:
First--Re Retaining the presen. copsti-
tuition and trying to observe It's provi-
sions, This is destined 20 be a fall
ure and the attempt may do us great
harm by purtlng off the d IS Of ulti-
ria,e solution.
Second-Retaining the present con-
F, sli union In form but pro seeding with
necessary legislation. trusting to the
courts TO find Justification tor such ac-
tion by a progressively lib ~ inter-
Irelation and construction of the con-
stllution,
THE policy viii more or less ham
Tcr legislation, compelling II to take
an indirect and In some cases a sur
reptitious form, will undoubtedly de-
| lay action far beyond the proper time,
will concentrate public attention upon
the constitutionality of measures in
stead Of upon their expediency and
their adequateness to the purpose.
and will gradually undermine the re-
spect of all citizens for the constitu-
tion and It's interpreters, the whole re-
sulting in q centralized form OF gov
ernment which, owing to ITS accidental
icharacter. viii be attempting many
I things which could be better done by
the state and will lack some OF the
authority which would properly belong
to the federal government.
And finally:
Third--We may adopt the simple
and straightforward American policy.
viz: call national constitutional n
! vention, adopt a new instrument. and
submit II to Me people for thelI ap-
pT al or rejection.
This would enable us to get an In
strument which would be in harmony
with our present conditions and future
prospects and would tend to produce
that stable equilibrium which Is as de-
sirable to politics as to physics II we
wish to secure a suitable vantage
ground for effective work.
FAIRBANKS ADDRESSES
RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE