The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-02


svneIss returned thep mus, IN all cares send sicmps
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IL . Non.Suzerainty COnstit utiOnal
Amendment Needed?
Glance for a moment. II you please.
at these brief extracts from highly
respectable instrument
ARTICLE l., SECTION VII.
'sThe Congress shall have power:
81. To lay and collect taxes, duties,
imposts and excuses; to pay the debts.
and provide for the common defence and
general welfare Of the United stdtes. 80
40. To declare war. grant letters OF
narQue and reprisal. and make rules con-
corning captures on land and water"
ARTICLE X.
'"The powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution. nor prohibited
by II to the States. are reserved to the
Ststes respectively, or to the people"
PREAMBLE.
I'VE. the people OF the United States.
in order to form more perfect union.
establish justice. ensure domestic tranquil
lily. provide for the common defence.
promote the general welfare, and secure
the blessings OF liberty to ourselves avid
eSr posteritv, do ordain and establish this
Constitution FOR the United States Of
America"
One need only look mt these para
graphs. at the same time taking
In 80 much OF the adventures Of our
citizens in Mexico during the last
twelvemonth as we have been able to.
flnd out about, and especially the events
Of the last few days. to see and be
certain that an amendment of the Con-
st1tution is necessary in order to make
that instrument effective for protecting
M not only against secret enemies but
also against genuine yet perhaps not
in all ways absolutely well advised
friends. None Of the difficulties we
now are facing would ever have been
encountered II the Constitution hal
contained provision in effect some
what as follows:
"From and after January /. 1912. In
any election to an Office OF honor or profit
under the United States or under the Gov
eminent of any State or Territory Of the
same. there shall be counted no vote I'M
lees for a person by or on behalf OF whom
there shall have been at some time previ-
Gus placed on file in the proper Office.
either in the District of Columbia or
within the voting precinct. the written
oath or affirmation of the candidate, made
before an officer thereto duly authorized,
declaring that he has carefully studied
tho Constitution of the United States In
respect of the matters for which the Con-
atitution permits the collecting Of taxes
duties. imposts and excuses, and In respect
10 the purposes for which such powers
arc delegated to Congress, and In respect
Of what powers are reserved to the States
respectively or to the people; and fur
ther that he has carefully studied the
preamble Of the said Constitution. which
relates In a general way the purposes Of
the Constitution: and that ne is in mind
to pursue the purposes therein related and
no others. No person shall be a lawful
candidate for any Office of honor or profit
under the Government Of tho United
States or Of any OF their States or Terri
tories who shall at any time have ex-
pressed in public. either by mouth or In
writing, an advocacy of warfare on the
part of the United States for any purpose
other than indicated in a general manner
in tho Constitution, or who shall have ad-
vocated any measure which would require
the application OF taxes. duties, imposts
and excuses to any purpose other than
declared In the Eighth Section OF the
such advocacy shall be held to be an Of
fence against the United States. Any
offender shall, II a holder OF office at or
after the time OF such expression, be la
bile to Impeachment by reason OF the same.
Such a person may. however. either before
becoming a candidate. or II already In
Office, then at any time before being found
guilty upon impeachment. purge himself
of the offence by filing In the same Office
his declaration In writing, sworn to or
affirmed. TO the effect that without admit.
ting the commission of the offence he af-
firms his adhesion to this Constitution In
all respects and especially In respect OF
the matters concerned In the said pream-
bic. the said section Of the First Article.
aud In the Tenth Article. Any candidate
or officer who shall be publicly accused of
such an offence may file In the said Office
a declaration by him, sworn to or affirmed
that the accusation In wrongful. and such
declaration shall be held conclusive that
the offence has not been committed"
A amendment like the foregoing
wouid automa tically work az a stop-
per upon all such designs AZ that of
extending the Dressings OF liberty" to
tie citizens Of any other country than
the United States, or that of improv.
ing the system Of government In any
otter country than our own, or that Of