The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-31

Copyright, 1907 by William George
Jordan.
The atmosphere of political thought
in the Nation today is pcrmeated with
restless rebellion of protests against
the growing Capitalization at Washing
ton. RumblngS of revolt III the public
press are becoming louder and more
unulstakahle, and political leaders are
furnishing the dingy armoT Of States
rights in preparation for battle. The
us,rping by the Government of the
law making power of the States is dc
clarcd to be Il forsakmg of the great
principle of democracy, the rock upon
which the fathers founded the Republic.
The Federal Government. following
the spirit or the age, is itself becoming
trust-a great governing trust,
crowding out. and threatening openly
still further to crowd out, the States,
the small iobbers in legislation. As the
wealth Of the Nation is concentrating
IN the hands of the few, so is the guild
auce Of the dcstinies of the Amcri
can people becoming vested in the firm,
tense fingers of n small legislative
syndicate, The Nation soon Will bc no
longer solid, impregnable pyramid.
standing on the broad. firm, safe base
of the united action Of united people,
but n pyramid dangerously balanced on
its apeN-the uncertain wisdom of
few.
There is a growing realization perco-
lating through the varied strata Of poll.
tics down 10 the man in the street
that the new Capitalization is a
menace. IT is a menace. 1t is not
In harmony with the spirit of the Con
stitution, its very essence, though it
may be in no technical dlsaccord with
its letter. Had the invasion of the
self governing rights of the States
been manifested III evil laws forced
=. 4.
gress the whole country would have
risen 10 meet the issue at once. but il
has come with needed legislation, wise
provisions and vital issues, and because
of tins gulse IL is all the more danger
ous because more insidious, The gov
ernment of the founders was fraternal,
the new government is paternal.
Were the dictates of any centralized
administration inspired with the ahso
lutte wisdom of omniscieuce and exc
cuted with the relentless certainty of
omnipotence, with every microscopic
phase of every act consecratcd 10 the
best and highest good of the whole
country, il would still he a menace.
Il is establishing a dangerous precedent
1T is placing the self governing power
of the States in pawn with the Federal
Government, with the chances of
The ticket becoming lost or the inter
est rate being raised or some other
technicality occurring that might make
redemption difficult, or even impossible.
Tie mantle of infalibility Of one adj
mlnlStratlon may not drop serenelN on
the shoulders of its successor-wisdom
exalted ideals, and broad. unselfsh
craftsmanship are not always hcredi-
tary in Offices
This Capitalization has not been the
work of ono administration. H. has
been evolving for years. During the
L., ,..-1
more vivid, picturesque, startling phase,
sufficiently distinct TO he portentous,
but TINS Capitalization is natural. and
under past conditions inevitable. II
there is today Federal usurpation of
States rights IL is so merely because
the States have largely abrogated
their rights through disuse-through
themselves have been to blame. Unless
they rouse themselves to immediate ac-
tion the condition may become ir-
remediable. and America will then be
but an autocracy under the false guise
Of a democracy.
Reference to Constitution.
Reference TO the constitution will
show the privileges the people have
been perhaps unconsciously, surrender
ing. The constitution clearly defines
The powers Of the Federal Government
IN all its branches. The ninth amend
ment says; Tho enumeration IN the
constitution of certain rights shall not
be construed TO deny or disparage
others retained by the people, - The
tenth amendment says: 1.-The powers
not delegated to the United States by
the constitution nor prohibited by it
10 the States are reserved to the States
respectively or to The people. Here
was the States warrant for action, yet
corruption and mismanagemcnJ had
grown brazen. graft fourishcd, arrog