The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-09-18
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organization could be relied upon for
 assistance; that his statement that this
 corporation contributed ten or one
 hundred thousand dollars to the cam
 paign fund would lock or unlock tho
 door to legislative or administrative ac-
 tlon This has been true In some cities which are democratic and in others which are republican, It has for many years been true in some states as well as in the nation.
 It is sufficient for my present pur- pose to call attention to the fact, that the evils now sought to be checked by
 the federal government, could have been put at an end earlier, had not the federal authorities and those of some of the states, been formerly more lax in the enforcement of the law than they are at present. Further, these facts disclose that the former were no more vigilant and efficient than the latter THE ROOSEVELT PURPOSE. Judge Parker denied that the com merce clause of the constitution gives President Roosevelt justification for his attempt to expand the powers of the federal government. He then pass ed on to the severest arraignment Pres ident Roosevelt has yet been subject- ed to. He said:
 To evidence that I do not overstate the nature of the claim for increased federal power, I quote again from the President. He said at Harrisburg: We need through executive action, through legislative, and through judic-s itl interpretation and construction of law to increase the power of the feder- al government If we fail thus to ir- | crease it, we show our impotence" These are weighty words pregnant with meaning. Let me read them
 again that they may sink deeply in our ! minds.
 These are the words not of an idle dreamer, but of purposeful and re- sourceful man. Let us analyze his statement
 q) There is an admission that the constitution does not confer the pow- l CTS which the executive desires to have | exercised.
 (2) Nevertheless it is his opinion
 that the federal government should em- ploy such powers as if granted. (3) And when? After amendment by ! the people, as the people themselves 1 provided in the constitution as their
 safeguard against usurpation? Not at
 all But now and without the sanc-
 tion of the people.
 (4), And how. if the authority be not | 4 AL. n l it is not proposed to the people to grant it? The admission, aye, the asser- i tion in effect is. that 1t must be ac-
 complished by usurping the desired powers
 (5) And by which department of the 1 government is the usurpation to be eff | fectuated? The answer Is clear and l emphatic. It contains an executive an- nouncement that each department of | the government should participate in
 it. through executive action, through legislative, and through judicial inter- pretation and construction of law" l (6) And that there may be no doubt 1 of the executive opinion of the other departments of the government should
 they fatl to perform we'll their part in l the task allotted by him, and no mis-
 understanding of his individual purpose
 to seize the coveted power, he announce
 es that if we fail'-To do what2 To exercise the power possessed? No, not at all But op the eontrary-'If we fail thus to increase tive show our impotence" That is, if we fail to
 increase the federal power by executive. legislative and judicial action, we show
 ou1 impotence.
 8 By what process of reasoning the ex- ecutive has reached the conclusion, that
 for the various departments of the fed
 eral government to seize power not
 granted by the states and the people, is ito protect and defend the Constitu-
 tion," know not. That he must have
 reached it by some route, his character as a man. his career as an official, and He is not attempting to acquire power
 by deceiving the people. With perfect frankness he states what he thinks
 ought to be done.