The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-01-09

expeditions in which they are now en-
gagged, but they will inaugurate new
methods, not now suspected, of alb
sorbing the businesses and wealth OF
others.
Danger of National ~Usurpations.
If the public will finds too much ex-
preston in state legislation for the
correction of abuses by any of the
great interests materially contributing
to the success of the national party in
power, this power of the state may be
absorbed by the national government
through usurpations and the authority
of the state is thereby nullified and
the public will thwarted. For, once
congress has legislated, no matter how
inadequately, concerning a subject on
which it is authorized to act, all state
legislation which interferes with it is
absolutely void. In this way prac-
tically all the business affairs of
state may be drawn under the exclus-
i've control of the national government
and the authority Of the states limited
to the exercise of the mere police
| powers of a province in an imperial
government. This is. exactly what is
happening.
| ne tuLSESIdLS Commerce ClduSe OIL
| the Constitution which confers upon
the national government control over
all subjects of Interstate Commerce
! has been a prolific source of encroach-
ments upon the reserved rights of the
states by both the federal judiciary
and by congress. This clause has been
construed to include subjects never
/ dreamed of by the trainers of the Con-
7 cti or, I, 8
/ feet all the, business affairs of the
states. If congress assumes to regu-
! late the liability Of railroads to pas
Isengers and employees on trains ply
ing between states, then the states
lose all authority over this particular
subject. If congress should enact, as it
has attempted to do, a statute declar-
/ ing that articles manufactured by child
labor shall not be transported by COM
mon carriers from one state to an
other, it can in this way dictate to
every mill. factory or other enterprise
! the age, sex, or even color of it's en-
ployaes. If the mere plotting by local
pilots over a local bar of vessels ply
ing between states, is Interstate Com
merce subject to regulations by con-
gress, as it has been held to be by the
| United States supreme court, then the
| farmer or the teamster who hauls a
load of produce or any other article
for shipment into another state, or who
! hauls any article from a railroad sta
ton which has been brought in from
another state, but which has not
reached the final point to which it is
/ consigned, is engaged in Interstate
/ Commerce subject to regulation by
congress. BY such construction the
state may be deprived of regulating
/ either the speed, equipments Or quail
ticatiCns Of employees of trains carrying
any commodity from one state to an
other. By these interpretations state
control can be, and is being trans
ferred from the states to the national
government. In short, the national
government, by such interpretations,
may in the interest of large enter
prises, deprive the states of the DOW
er to regulate these interests and the
national government may make but
feeble attempt so to do.
Capitalization Contrary to General
Trend Toward Democracy
! Under the pressure of modern intel
HgenCe, and civilization, there is not
a country in Europe that is not yield
/ ing more and more to/the general pub
/ lie will. IN all the states OF the union
/ there is 4 constant trend toward a
/ more perfect democracy. In states
/ where a few years ago the governors
! appointed their cabinets and other
state and county officers, these Off
/ GERS are now elected by the people.
/ United States senators were formerly
elected by the legislatures. but now,
in many states they are chosen in adj
vance IN primaries by a direct vote of
the people. In contrast with this gen.
eral trend, We have the strange spec
tacle Of our national government. sup
! posed 10 be a democracy, becoming
more and more centralized, not