The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-04-03

which when ii becomes a Law is ex.
pected to unlock the interlocking d.
rectorates Of modern industry fur.
nishes a case In which Democracy IS
having trouble to avoid the charge
that II is for states rights In some
instance and not IN others.
When Woodrow Wilson was COVER
nor Of New Jersey the antitrust bills
known as the seven sisters" were
made into state laws AS has been
told In these dispatches the seven
sisters" bills form in part the basis OF
what are known as the five brother
bills intended to regulate the trasss
and which are now before congress
for action. It is in the application Of
the principles OF the seven bills, drawn
to meet the condition largely existing
within one state, to the FIVE bills In.
tended to meet a national condition
that the Democrats are having their
worries.
Here is the way that a Republican
has put this matter Of the Democratic
difficulty:
The party has used the ancient and
by 1t revered doctrine Of states rights
In the past to check what It has called
Republican capacities. but now 1t is
trying to find way to dispose OF the
bogy and yet keep it intact for the
uses Of the future"
Where the Rub Comes.
In the matter of the measure drawn
to do away with interlocking director
ates, the Democrats are confronted by
question as to whether state banks
can be brought within the provisions
Of the statutes which it is proposed to
pass. The party Of course wants the
state bank directorates separated as 1t
desires those of national banks shall
be, and the question is can the sepa-
ration be accomplished without violat-
| ing the doctrine of states rights
The house committee which is con-
sidering the case has had Louis D.
| Brandeis before 1t as witness and
probably as an adviser. Mr.. Brandeis
is now engaged as special counsel by
the interstate commerce commission
in the railroad advanced rate case.
| He told the Democrats of the commit
tee that there are three ways by which
| they can pass the states rights OBJ
stacle by the flank and yet leave it
there intact for further use. Accord
ing to Mr.. Brandeis congress years
ago established precedent which
can be used this day to justify the
forbidding of interlocking directorates
| of state banks. This precedent was
set By the national lawmakers when
they taxed the currency of state
! banks out OF existence.
AS second method of reaching
the states rights matter through the
! federal power, Mr.. Brandeis says that
| all banking business of necessity par
4 takes OF an interstate character, or.
4 in other words, that il enters into in
| terstate commerce and that this fact
ought to bring it well within the realm
I of the power of congress to act. AS
/ a third method he says that the mat
ter can be reached through the right
! of congress to declare what matter
shall be carried in the United States
I mails. Presumably this means that
the postal privileges can be withheld
from any state bank which declines
to comply with the law forbidding
the interlocking of directorates.
Make Much Of Trivial Subjects.
Members of congress. especially
when they make speeches in the CAPT
toll on what may seem to be trivial
subjects, make every effort TO show
that they are determined this country
shall continue to be a democracy. "a
place of continued rule by the plair
people with no frills on the ruled OF
the rulers"
1t is a curious fact that senators and
representatives frequently show more
alarm lest the democracy Of the PEG
pie be undermined by some little
thing suggestive of luxury or of de
cadence OF taste than they do ovel
what appears TO be the rapid growth
of class conditions in this country an6
the rapid concentration of wealth il
the hands OF the few. The big thing:
which threaten democracy are over
looked, but the little things are taker
up on high plane and pointed to a:
danger signals of a coming crash il
the affairs of the republic.
They have just been having a tire
mendous debate in the senate ovel
the use of automobiles by government
officials. Congress. of course, sup
plies the working tools" Of the mel
in executive official life here in tn,
District OF Columbia. 1t always hai
been the custom to vote money t.
pay for horses and vehicles for th'
commissioners of the District Of Co
lumbia who are compelled to rid'
here and there on overseeing duty
Other officials have been voted horses
and carriages, or rather, as is usually
the case. buggies. without a question
In these days of automobiles and thu
quicker transportation facilities which
they offer. naturally enough congress
was asked to change horses and bug
gies to automobiles and then cam,
the protest and the great debate.