The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-12-28

Within the last decade and a
half public criticism OF our sys-
TEN OF government has become
increasingly fashionable. In the
beginning IL consisted mainly OF
complaints directed against the
management OF cities and the
control of legislatures by private
interests. Much OF this complaint
was justified. and the need OF i'm
provement was made evident. In
seeking for remedies great stress
was laid upon the necessity OF re-
form in the civil service, and es-
pecially upon the desirability of
abolishing the control OF the so
called "bosses'-that IL. the power
OF persons whose influence in
party organization was preponder-
ant but who were wholly devoid
OF responsibility to the public.
AS some OF these evils began to
be ameliorated. the searchlight Of
criticism vas turned upon certain
men in official life. and the u
try passed through a period that
was not appropriately charac-
terized as Undertaking" At last,
when this field was exhausted.
and the public had grown weary
OF the vituperation of private
character, attention was attracted
TO our time-honored institutions.
The city charters were the first
to be subjected to examination.
and In many instances to revision
New and better systems were in
some cases adopted. consisting
chiefly in arrangements for nxing
responsibility In municipal admin
istration. Then the state constt-
but here. in spite OF much discus
sion and some hasty experiments.
the results have not proved alto
gether encouraging.
II Is not unnatural. as a result
OF this passion for radical changes,
that our national constitution
should in its turn become the tar
get for criticism. and this has hap
pened. The fundamental law that
has stood the test OF civil war
and held the Union together. that
has sheltered the national domain
through its process OF territorial
existence and development into
thirty-hve new states, and finally
bound them all into a compact
and prosperous nationality. is
now made the object OF dispar-
agement. and ven of open attack.
The motive in this IA is OF a
new character. The constitution
has been found to be an impedi-
ment to the enactment OF laws
for a new distribution OF wealth.
One writer has called Il Our
Dishonest Constitution" and has
condemned the work OF Wash
ington. Madison and Hamilton as
a~nti-social. Widespread organi-
cations have declared that no law
favored by a majority OF votes
ought to be a~djudged u~nconstit-
tional; and, to prevent this. new
organizations have been formed
with the purpose of annuling the
present amending clause of the
constitution. so as to open the
way for unlimited lei legisla-
ton.
The precise provisions which
this so-called Gateway amend
ment is intended TO let in are not
stated. That they are of a radi-
cal nature. that they are de-
signed especially to affect the
present rights OF minorities. and
particularly the right OF property.
is not denied. That they are to
embody certain socialistic theo-
ries II practically certain. Still.
as they are not az yet fully for
INFLATED. II is impossible to COM
bat them by specific arguments.
We EAR only infer that. II they
are permitted. they will produce
far-reaching effects. not the less
disquieting because they are not
definitely Indicated.
Two things are, however. GER
tain: first, the easier amendment