Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-07-09
WISE ON ROOSEVELT THEORIES

~RNCAASoA ASd0CI Al ~ SAAAN'
but for some years past a promi-
nent lawyer in New York, made a
direct attack on the policies of
the Roosevelt administration in
addressing the Maryland State
Bar Association.
Mr.. Wise in his speech pro-
ceeded to show "by the history OF
this Government and by the
decisions of the Supreme Court,
the greatest tribunal in existence,
that many of the things now pro-
posed cannot be done lawfully,
except by constitutional amend
ments; that this doctrine OF
Federal power increased by con-
struction under the plea of changed
conditions, is the most insidlous
and dangerous heresy ever brought
forward to the people of America;
that in it turks a germ which,
if it be permitted to grow, will
destroy the checks and balances
of our system and substitute there
for an absolutely uncertain govern
nseflt dependent on the caprice of
the "powers that be" and upon
the fancies of passing dOctrinaires.
That such a government would,
in its essence, possess no element
of permanency and no guarantee
of liberty, that it would be liable
to change according to the differ
ent constructions of different rul-
ers, and that it would ultimately
substitute a centralized and tickle
tyranny for that indestructible
union of indestructible States,
which is now established by a
hundred years of peace, war,
amendment, judicial construction,
and above all, by the will of the
people.
"The theory of the new pro-
pagandists" said he "seems to-
be that the question ofthe juris-
diction of Congress and of the
Federal courts was not settled by
the Supreme Court upon fixed
principles, but upon principles as
elastic as the changing conditions
ofsociety and business; that if the
conditions of society and business
have changed since these decisions
were rendered that justiies
changed construction Of the Ian
guage of the Constitution"
Mr.. Wise then proceeded by
citations from Supreme Court
rulings to prove that the federal
government had absolutely no
right to interfere with the States
in their control of the public
schools, as in California, or In
matters of marriage and divorce,
child labor, granting of franchises
to corporations and other fields
wherein Roosevelt, Root and others
haZassuadGERuaakGaA federal inter
ference.
''The recent speeches of Presi-
dent Roosevelt" continued Mr..
Wise, seem to indicate a singular
Ignorance of the boundary line
between Federal and State powers.
"The Governor of a State who
should devote his addresses to dis
eussing how the United States
Navy should be organized, or how
foreign commerce should be
regulated, would be justly charge
able with volunteering advice in
matters in which he had no voice
The case would not be different,
as it seems to me, from that of a |
President who devotes his time
to addresses upon child labor, |
fellow servant laws and the like,
which are subjects for considera-
ion of the States in the exercise of
heir reserved powers. He might
profit by the story of the little
iarkey who when asked why his
lose was so short replied: Il
lunno, sir, but spec it was to
Keep me from pokin' it Unto other
olks' bizness. ,"