The daily sentinel., 1908-09-09

| maintain a free, self-governing re-
public over large area and with a
large population without state gov
ernments as it would be to maintain
such republic without general
government. The interests of the
different parts of the country are so
varied, and the matters requiring
legislative attention so numerous,
that it would be impossible to have
all of the work done at the national
capitol. One has only to examine
the bills introduced in each congress,
and then add to the number the bills
introduced at the legislative sessions
of each of the forty-six states, to re-
aliZe that it would be beyond the
power of any body of men to legis-
late intelligently on the multitude of
questions that require consideration
Not only would national legis-
lators lack the time necessary for
investigation, and therefore lack the
information necessary to wise de-
cision, but the Indifference of repre-
sentatives in one part of the country
to local matters in other parts of the
country would invite the abuse of
power. Then, too, the seat of gov
ernment would be so far from the
| great majority of the voters as to
prevent that scrutiny of public con-
duct which is essential to clean and
| honest government. The union of the
separate states under a federal gov
ernment, and only by respecting this
division of powers can we hope to
keep the government within the
reach of the people and responsive
to the will of the people. Because in
all disputes as to the relative spheres
of the nation and the states the final
decision rests with the federal
courts, the tendency is naturally to-
ward Capitalization, and greater care
| is required to preserve the reserved
rights of the states than to maintain
the authority of. the general gov
ernment.
in recent years another force has
been eXerting an increasing influ-
ence in extending the authority of
the central government. l refer to
the great corporations. They prefer
the federal courts to the state courts,
and employ every possible device to
drag litigants before United States
judges. They also prefer congress-
ional regulations to state regulation,
and those interested in large cor
porations have for years been seeking
federal incorporation. The Demo-
cratic party will resist every attempt
to obliterate state lines, whether the
attempt is made through legislation
or through judicial Interpretation.
Amendment of the organic law by
judicial Interpretation would be de-
structive of constitutional govern
ment; our constitution can be amend
ed by the people in accordance with
the terms of the document itself, and
no group of men, however honorable
or high minded can usurp this power
without violating the fundamental
principles of our government.
1T has been suggested that the
rights of the states can lapse through
non-use, and that congress is justi-
fled in usurping the authority of the
state if the state fails to make prop
er use of it. While this doctrine has
been advanced in the pretended in
terest of the people, it is as insidious
and as dangerous an assault rs has
ever been made on our constitutional
form of government. The people of
the state can act with more prompt
ness than the people of the nation.
and if they fail to act, it must be
assumed that the people of the state
prefer inaction.
'"The real purpose that those have
in view who complain of the inaction
of the state is not more strict regula-
tion of corporations, but the relief of
corporations from state regulation.
THE Democratic party favors the
full exercise of the powers of the
government lOT lue protection VI Lue
rights of the people-each govern
ment to act within its constitutional
sphere. Our platform demands that
federal legislation be added to, not
THE predatory corporations have
substituted for, state legislation.
taken advantage of the dual char
acter of our government and have
tried to hide behind the interstate
commerce clause of the constitution
when prosecuted in the state courts
There is no twilight zone between
the nation and the state in which the
exploiting interests can take refuge
from both. There is no neutral
ground where, beyond the jurisdic-
tion of either sovereignty, the plund
erers of the public can find safe
retreat. AS long as corporation
confines it's activities to the state in
which It was created, it is subject to
state regulation only; but as soon as
1t invades interstate commerce it be-
comes amendable to federal laws as
we'll as to the laws of the state which
created it and the laws of the states
in which ii does business.
"How strict can these laws be?
Just rs strict as may be necessary for
the protection of the public.
"O1r platform outlines the regu-
lation deemed necessary, and the |
regulation is specifically set forth in
order that our opponents may not be
able to scare the public by predicting |
hurtful legislation. Our platform,
unlike the Republican platform
says what it means and means only
what it says
The Democratic leader in this ad