Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-26

/ aH'So as 20 De almost oupSg oon1UAo, !
invite the voters Of Iowa, and indeed
OF the whole country. to brief review
OF present conditions entirely freed
from the acrimony OF our dassensions.
with q retrospect sufficient only to as
certain the attitude of the two parties
| toward national questions and with a
prospect sufficient to comprehend the
nature Of the problems with which the
| United States as a government must
| deal.
Issues Are Defined.
| There are many important and dini-
cult subjects which will in the future.
as in the past. challenge the attention
and care of the congress of the United
States, but there are three or these
subjects which. by common consent
are lifted high above all others so that
they long have been and will continue,
pre- eminent in the region of state
craft
I First The regulation and control of
corporations, including the supervision
OF all such forms of combined concen-
| trated wealth and industry as AFFECT IN
terstate commerce. and including, OF
| course, all railway and other transpor-
tation companies engaged in interstate
| traffic.
| Second The adjustment from time
to time of duties upon imports. or as II
is most commonly known. the tarih
Third. The conservation Of those
| natural resources which are sun the
property Of the whole people.
It must be obvious as it seems to me.
that any political party which, by rea-
son of the doctrines out of which 1t
was born, or by reason of the principles
which during the long course OF years
it has announced as its guides in public
| a fairs or by reason of the traditions or
! beliefs which it's chief opponents deeply
cherish and conscientiously declare, is
inca pable Of legsating so that the peo-
pie may be protected and defended
gainst the assaults of arbitrary power
| and the inroads Of unrestTalned selnsh-
ness and uncurbed greed: or which is
| inca able Of guarding American mar
kets against the unfair invasion OF Tor
eign producers, ought not to be en-
trusted under any possible circum-
stances. with the destiny of the great
est country upon the face of the earth.
Control Of the Trusts.
1t is universally admitted that the
/ rapidly developing problems which re-
late to the control Of transportation
! companies. and of trusts. conblnatlons
! and monopolies in business, the grad
lual bu. constant humiliation OF compe-
tition in production touch more Closely
and vitality the people OF the republic
than any other problems which are
now before us for solution In my
judgment. no. only the prosperity and
/ happiness but the peace and tranquil
ttv of our country depend absolutely
upon the wisdom and justice with
which the government legislates upon
these things.
| The forefathers who gave us the con-
sti1ution which created congress and
endowed it with the authority 1t pos
sesses had no conception, and could
have had none, OF the forces. good and
bad. which the congress OF THIS age
must control. # they are to be con-
trolled. They did their best. however
and made provision for an unknown
future and uncomfortable conditions IN
this particular respect by saying
among other things: Congress snail
have power to regulate commerce
among the states" This is the sole
grant of authority under which con-
gress acts in attempting to control the
corporations. combinations, trusts and
monopolies which transact business IN
more than one state. It is manifest
DDS employed by capital to increase its
profits. the men who administer
this clause Of the constitution must
give 10 il broad, generous, liberal
Interpretation if the exigencies OF the
time are 10 be successfully encoun-
tered.
What is Legislation?
The democratic view OF the constitu-
ton is not of recent origin. 1t began
with the fist day OF the republic. and
has continued with fair consistency un-
til the present moment 1t has been
heard in every congress, and applied
whenever the opportunity presented 1t
self The strict construction which IS
but a synonym for a technical con-
struction is the fundamental faith OF
the democratic party. On the other
hand from the beginning. the natural
predecessors OF the republican party,
and during its entire existence the re-
publican party itself, have believed that
| 1t Is impossible for this country to in
sure the welfare of its people without
giving to the constitution a breadth OF
| Interpretation in harmony with the
| spirit which created a nation rather
than a confederation. This conflict has
not only been waged in the halls OF
congress for century and quarter,
but, as was inevitable, has been trans
ferred from time to time to the SUI
preme court of the United States,
where the fiercest struggles Of the OPP
posing views have taken place. It Is,
OF course, true that the final judgment
must always be entered by this exalted
tribunal but il is just as true that un-
| I'll congress exercises a disputed au-
thority there can be no opportunity Tor
the supreme court, to which decision
we must all bow. to declare what can
OF can not be constitutionally done by
the legislative branch OF the govern
ment It will not. therefore. be denied
that the congressional answer 10 the
question-What is a regulation OF com
merce among the states?-is laden with
deeper import to the country than any
other question which can possibly be
raised in a body of honest men. 1t has
arisen in every congress since the IN
terstate commerce act was passed IN
1887. and it will arise, with increasing
emphasis and in more vital aspects
with every congress go long as the
commerce OF the United States sur.
| wives.
Democratic Reputation.
II is To ha granted that the dem o.