Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-10

who should be immune from prosecution
He insisted upon the punishment of certain
railroads and of certain men for giving
and receiving rebates, and then ordered the
his cabinet officers who had confessed
that as an official Of the railroad he gave
rebates TO a company in which he was q
~stockholder and official. And this man re-
manned in the cabinet until he left with
the Presidents recommendation for a more
lucrative position as head of a great cor.
loration. Indeed, by his defiance OF legal
limitations and the safeguard Of the con.
stitution, he has done more to inculcate
contempt of law than all the mobs tina
have claimed victims for the r violence in
all the states. The president is upon an
eminence, II he violates the law, men
self respect it to the full extent, he robs
t OF the. reverence that might be willingly
bestowed by others. In this same over
bearing spirit he has placed and kept in
Office men who were not appointed by and
WIN the advice and consent of the senate.
lie mas influenced or attempted to influence
SUuIts ana Juries in the administration OF
pubic justice, not only BY dc. iaing who
should and who should not be prosecuted.
but by making known his personal feelings
or symrathies between the prosecut on and
the accused He has s,olded Judges for
their Interpretation of the law. II was,
therefore, timely and appropriate that the
5epuDlcan party at Chicago should havs
declared that it will uphold at ali times
ne authority and integrity Of the courts"
re mas constantly cred out for more power
on the ~ Of the federal government at
the expense Of the powers reserved 70 the
ScttoTSs: IL MS speech at Harrisburg. in
CCtooer' lSO3, lie told of easy methods for
increasing the power of the federal gov
ethment' The method provided in the CON
uncertain for him.. There he lets the conn
try INTO the secret of his short cut To
increasing the federal power in these
We need, through executive action
through legislation and through judicial in.
Tho noSar anu construction to increase
MT. Root, whom the president is said
70 ave called my secretary" foilowed
1nls Harrisburg expression by a speech in
New YORK, in which he said;
Sooner or later construction will no
round TO vest power where II will be-
exercised by the national government"
az any opinion the president utters; he
mas so many of them and has expressed
mem on SO many conceivable and nom
fGmGeiWaDie occasions. Now. Secretary
framed and deliberate habits of thought.
Nothing, shows more plainly the demoraIza-
non WrouSht by the president than the
fact that this trained lawyer, in the very
frort rank Of his great profession, should
advocate Changing the organic law or IND
union by construction to be found"-~and
10 DE u by whom? BY the very
men who are to exercise the power. The
insidlous proposition OF Mr.. Root. following
up the suggestion of his chief, is that
Where authority Is not granted, which In
the opinion of the executive, ought TO have
been granted, this authority is none the
Tess TO De exercised, and If no other basis
Tor IL can be had, II is to be based upon
construction to be found" In other words
II the constitution is to be vested in him
by construction TO BE found in a way
not provided for by the organic law of the
union.
Representative institutions must be pre-
served. Our federal government of dele
gated ana limited powers must be main
taiEed In all Of its reserve powers and in
It's integrity and autonomy forever. Therein
Is the safety OF the union and the states
-,,0ne ihdissolubfe and the other indestruct-
Let US confidently hope that the time will
never De ripe Tor the change OF the con-
stitutiop by executive action" and by
judicial Interpretation" If such a time
SHOULD come, then a government OF law
VIII perish from the earth and a govern
ment of caprice will be created on the
stltution.
Democratic Duty.
We know there is a brighter prospect.
II the love OF country and liberty is still
strong In the hearts of the American peo-
pie; If an oath TO support the constitution
is now considered by them as binding: II
the people are in earnest in their protests
against the rule of insolent wealth, the
unauthorized and baleful influence of cor
and the eXactions Of the trusts;
II the manliness Of the fathers has been
transmitted to the sons, the fourth Of next
March will mark the advent of the glad
light of democracy and the beginning
OF the return to constitutional government
honestly and economically administered.
To the banner we raise here we invite
to repair any citizens OF our common
who revere the nobler traditions
of the past and who deplore the grave
Of the present.
Let us see TO 1t that this standard shall
again float over a government rest
ing secure on lasting foundations.
Mr., Chairman, delegates and fellow coun-
trymen, the time and the occasion in ouV
national affairs impose a duty we cannot,
II we would, evade. We must go out from
this hail with one heart and a determine
tion 10 put our loved ship OF state on an
even keel. That keel has been too long
beating the air. We must bring it down
into the deep abiding waters OF the con-
stitution.