The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-09-30

to guard against executive usurpation:
put it beyond the power of any save
the people themselves to amend this
constitutional and sat down to enjoy
the blessings of a government on law,
not of men,
This was less than a century and a
quarter ago. Today there are political
prophets in other lands who predict
tor us a speedy coming of the dictator.
There are in our beloved country ad-
vocates of the policy to gradually take
from the people the home rule powers
of the states and confer them upon
the federal government. Others, still
more progressive" would not await
the action Of the people but would
seize coveted powers whenever the
passing whim or caprices of an ex-
ecutive shall suggest it, Indeed. a
president of the United States has
said in substance and effect, that if we
fail to increase the federal power
through executive action, through leg
islative and through judicial construc-
ZION and Interpretation of law, we
show our impotence. On divers occa-
sions he fitted the deed to the word,
and subsequently rejoiced in the APP
plause of the unthinking.
A Rap for Roosevelt.
Nor is he alone in this advocacy.
Other champions there are of the doc
trine that the people of the states and
their officials are less competent to
deal with business matters than the
executive branch of the federal gov
eminent, the courts share therein be-
ing particularly obnoxious. Accord
ing to this school, as large a share as
can be of the powers of congress and
the courts shall be taken from them
and ultimately lodged in the federal
executive. For says their leader. in
his address to the Hamilton club
This new natiOnalism regards the ex-
ecutive powers as the steward of the
public welfare" This means that the
legislative and the judicial depart
mentS of government are no longer to
be coordinate departments of govern
ment, exercising their powers indie
nendently, but are to be subordinate
to and controlled by the steward of all
power-the executive.
How comes this assault thus early
in our national life upon the most
wonderful instrument ever struck off
at given time by the brain and pur-
pose of MANI" How is it possible to
gain followers in such a cause? The
answer is, there is great unrest
among the people. And why this I'M
rest-with the national wealth mount
ing higher and higher, with work for
everyone, and the people all enjoying
4 greater measure of comfort than do
the people of any other country?
Partly, because the cost of living is
mounting still more rapidly than in
come and wages. The Salaried man,
the wage Garner, the people with small
incomes, whether from investments,
farming or business, find it yearly
more difficult to make both ends meet,
let alone putting aside a little money
to educate the children or provide for
the declining years. While the dream
OF saving is passing, the story of vast
increases in the national wealth and
abnormal increase of individual for
tunes is being daily recited The ma
jority having been politically taught
that government is responsible for
good times, many of them have come
now to wonder whether the machinery
of government is not at present geared
to enrich the few at the expense of
the many.
Says Truth is Hidden,
As rule our people are blessed
with too much sense and are far too
manly and generous to regret the good
fortune of others. So too, are they
too right-minded and just to cOunten-
ance the employment of government
to accumulate wealth for few at the
cost of all. 1t is the growing belief,
however, that this happened, that has
led many of them to swallow the nos
trums and apply the plasters of num-
berless political quacks. Through all
the mazes of deceitful teaching and
ridiculous panaceas, intended by the
party in power to hide the greatest
political wrong of the century, the
people have been cropping towards the
light and the truth.
The great bulk of the larger for
tunes have been wrung from the
people through the aid of direct legis-
lation aided by nOn'enforCement of
law. That is, through the tariff and
the combinations to prevent COMPETE
ton and in restraint of trade, created
for the purpose of securing from the
public every dollar which the tariff
statute made possible.
The first tariff act was in 1889, and
the average duties were S1a percent.