Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-31
BACK TO CONSTITUTION
Opposition Throughout The Country
to Increasing Presidents Power.
STATE RIGHTS AN ISSUE NOW
Corporation and Citizens Alike Find
That The Constitution Protects
Them From Inlustices-occasion
Rife Also to Make Tariff an Issue.

4
have an Influence upon the political
issues of the next Presidential cam
paign. II is one of many things re-
sulting from period of agitation dur
ing MIR. Roosevelt's administration to
the fact that many loose ends of rig
sing are Tapping in the gale and that
the snip of state may require n prac.
teal and thorough overhauling.
The rational suggestion from all the
many evidences of political distractin
Is that II is time to turn back TO the
| Constitution Mr. w. j. Bryan has
said that the campaign cry should be
Back TO the people," But he has in
! dicated that by this he means the
| adoption of the "in 'tiativc and refer
onhnm' in n way to make still fur
ther departure from constitutional
methods. Only through the Constitu-
ton can the government get hack to
the people without converting the pcn.
pie into many minded mob. The Con
stitution provides its own methods of
initiation and reference. not subject
to the VIII III of every idle hour.
Provides For Equal Justice.
a campaign cry of Back to the
Constitution" would comprehend
much that is now particularly desir-
able. II would mean opposition to
Capitalization. the preservation of the
rights of the States: resistance to
the tendencies toward naternalism;
the protection of both men and cor.
porations in their rights, without spe.
cial privilege to either corporation or
community TO prey the one upon the
other. II would mean protection of
rights. not OF special privileges; sta
bilitv of business interests and secur
lily of the individual against all on
croachments, MS well MS n prohibition
of his encroachment upon others. It
would mean check to both socialism
and corporation control of the Gov.
crnment. 1t would he the clearest and
trnest antitrust cry. for the Constitu-
tion recognizes no favored classes and
contemplates the collection of reve-
mes for legitimate purposes.
a pledge of stability of administra.
ton of restraint of trusts and OF hon
est tariff would he comprehended in
the shibboleth: Back to the Consti.
tuition"
The occasion Is ripe for such an Is
sue. Many who had acquitted the ha-
bit OF looking with contempt upon con
stitntional restraints. because they
saw In such restraints only hind |
rance to their selfish aims. now find
occasion to turn 10 the Constitution
for protection and they see now tho
good that lies in an instrument long
dismissed ny them Corporation mag.
mates no longer shrug their shoulders
and smile when they hear that instru-
ment discussed. II is spoken OF re-
spectfully even in board meetings OF
the trusts.
Danger in a Departure.
1t has been discovered that such n
disregard of the Constitution as will
permit paternalism will also allow op-
press'on and that such interpretation
ana construction" as permits the rob
hery OF the public for the benefit of
favored classes may also render the
Constitution ineffective to prevent
confiscation
Conditions now seem favorable for
convincing all classes OF people that II
would be the part OF wisdom TO get
back under the shelter of the Consti
tuition.
Constitutional revenues. const'tu
tional control OF corporations. consti
tntional limitations OF executive pow
or. recognition OF the constitutional
rights of the States. independence Of
the judiciary and of the legislative
branch of the government and the
| test of all laws nv the written Constl.
tuition not amended by legislation or
construction or executive assumption.
would offer shelter to all who find
public and private interests threat
ened by the present prevalence OF
political "tlindstaggers"
Confiscatlon is no worse than rob
hery: discrimination against has rs
much warrant rs discrimination In
favor OF, and flexhilitv in constitu-
ton permits II to stretch one way as
we'll IA another.
May Not Confirm Rate Laws.
II is by no means certain that the
Supreme Court VIII sustain the act
comforting the ratemaking mower upon
me interstate Commerce Commission
lty 10 me agitation OF public owner
An adverse decision will give activity
to the agitation of public ownership
and. with Mr.. Bryan as the accented
candidate Of the Democratic party that
would inevitably become an issue. ri
| President Roosevelt succeeds in hay-
ing the Supreme Court adopt his the.
orv that the Constitution can be
amended by Legislation and construc.
| ton. the preservation of the rights of
the States will become lively is.
| sue.
No matter what NAV happen. the
tariff question cannot he ignored In
the camnagn and Mr.. Roosevelt. with
his faculty for raising now questions.
Is likely to attract attention in some
unexpected direction before the cam
pnign is on. No issue that Is not
broad enough to comprehend tho whole
question OF nationality versus radical
ism can be expected to hold under the
Kaleidoscope cvolutions Of Mr.. Roose.
velts administration. Hn may make
ANYTHING from race suicidc IN wor :,