The Detroit times., 1908-04-23
RAYNER IN FERv|D
SPEECH ATTACKS
ROOSEVELT
,coa,inu.s nom F,r., ras.o

federal supervision III such bill
should pass. | have no doubt That the
supreme court would declare IL IN
constitutional. and as understand
that an attempt will be made TO IN
corporate this provision In The Demo
cratic platform. the people should be
made TO understand as soon as pos
sibie that their representatives IN this
body, at least, have still a siinnrnerina
recollection OF what the constitution
means and that the Democratic party
has still a bodysuard OF faithful watch
ers, who will see 10 il that the party
is not thus dismembered in her COM
ino platform while there is yet a
spark OF life within her veins.
This brings me 10 another PROPOSE
ton thst is more startling than those
have just referred To. Congress Is
given the right by the constitution 10
establish postoffices and post roads.
The president deduces from this grant
the power 10 control the intra-state
railways OF the United States that 10
not pass beyond the boundaries OF the
state that created them.
Federal Rule OF Highways"
If this construction is correct. IL
places the government OF the United
States right within the boundaries OF
the state and gives IL complete juris-
diction over every internal highway
in the country.
No Judge, mo iurist, NO eourt. no
text-writer. NO expoUnder or commen-
tator whom l have ever heard Of ever
conceived Of such an interpretation as
this. and the president alone II entitled
to all the credit and all the glory that
attaches ia this uDheraidrd discovery.
His great intellect perceived In this
perfectly innocent grant al the right Ia
establish IA post road for the purpose
OF carrying the mail, and OF a postof-
Zee for the purpose OF receiving ana
distrtbutfng Ia. an opportunity ca swoop
down upou the states and upon their
municipalities and deprive them of
their right OF eminent domain. which
o. absolutely essential for their soSer-
eighty and existence.
Having reached this stage OF con-
stitutfonal construction, We come 10 a
proposition now that overtops the
n 1t can be successfully maintained. OBJ
iiterates the framework or our gov
eminent
Most Dangerous Doctrine.
I'VE have a proposition boldly an
nounced by our secretary OF state, a
lawyer of profound intellect and OF
pre-eminent ability, that IL the states
do not come 10 the rescue OF the ieo-
eral government whenever an tHltl :
gency arises for the exercise or fed
eral power that ways will be found
which viii give the federal government
the right TO exercise the power that II
propo SEES. whether il comes within its
delegated functions or not. | said at
the last session Of congress in an ad-
dress before this body upon executive
usurpation. and | repeat il now. that
thfs Is the most startling and danger
Gus doctrine ever announced before the
American people.
The trouble with the president is
and l always speak OF him not only
deferentially. but with great personal
respect-that he regards himself as
vested with unlimited executive power
under The constitution
Il have always looked upon the DEM
ocratfc party as the sentinel OF the
Constitution and as party man l pro-
! test against its being tempered with
by scribes and mountebanks 1 believe
| that IN the coming contest we ought 10
plant our colors upon the tenth amend
Inent and make the contest clear and
/ clean between the reserved rights o.
| the states upon the one hand and red
eralism and Capitalization on the other.
IL is predicted that " we adopt THIS
course that we will lose. Very well. ur.
President. so far M Z am concerned.
would rnfher lose and go down tn de-
feat than purchase victory at the sac
rffice of principle. We have been de-
tented over and over again. hut we
have never yet I'm all our history sound
ed a final and an ultimate retreat. To
accept these herexies now. In "a coward
~ surrender NJ the post of duty"