The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-04-19

the states did Ordain and establish the
federal constitution. BY that means
the several states formed special
governmental agency, with definite:
and limited power; the powers not
delegated to the United States by the
constitution, nor prohibited by it ! to
the states were reserved to the states;
respectively or to the people. Fox,
good reasons the states were extreme
~ careful not to surrender the right
to control their internal affairs. The
powers delegated to the federal agen-
cy are very few compared with those
retained by each state. The consti-
tuition is SO short that in less than
an hour you may read it al with the
amendments. Indeed, you may easily
commit it to memory and repeat it
morning and evening as, we do the
Lords prayer. It establishes a spe-
cial governmental agency with three
departments; the executive, legisla-
t!ce and judicial. The powers given
the Federal government are expressed
in general language, thus: Congress
has power: To lay and collect taxes,
duties, lmpOstS and excuses, to pay
the debts and provide for the common
defense and general welfare of the
United States; to borrow money on
the credit OF the United States; to
regulate commerce with foreign ma
lions, and among the several states,
and with the Indian tribes; to estab-
llsh unifor mrule Of naturalization,
and uniform laws on the subject OF
bankruptcies throughout the United
| SfGfpS'
value thereof, and of foreign coins
and fix the standard of weights and
measures; to provide for the punish
ment or counterfeiting the securities
and current coin of the United States;
to establish post offices and post
roads; to promote the progress of
science and useful arts by securing
for limited time to authors and in
ventors the exclusive right to their
respective writings and discoveries;
to constitute tribunals inferior to the
supreme court; to punish piracy and
felonies committed on the high seas
and offenSeS against the law of ma
tons; to declare war, grant letters of
! marque and reprisal, and make rules
concerning captures on land and wa
ter;> to provide and maintain a navy.
land few more such like provis-
ions)
The powers denied to the states are
these: (Sec. 100: No state shall en-
ter into any treaty, alliance or con-
federation, grant letters of marque
and reprisal. coin money, emit bills of
credit, make anything but gold and
silver coins tender in payment of
oh fSs ~
post facto law or laws impairing the
obligation Of contracts, or grant any
title of nobility p. g.
No state shall, without the consent
of congress, lay any tax on mposts or
duties on exports. (And so there are
few more restrictions on the states)
The powers given to the federal
courts are commensurate with the
constitution and the laws and the
treaties of the United States, but un
! happily since Gthe Civil war every de-
partment of the federal agency has
/ shown a natural bent to magnify it's
powers and to encroach upon the
4 rights OF the states. In time of war
i the encroachment becomes more and
more manifest and more fraught with
danger to the union of the states.
! During the late war a great advance
was made toward a dictatorship. AS
Aaron's rod became serpent and
/ swallowed up the other rods, so the
federal agency came near to swallow
ing up all the state agencies, and in
deed, after the organization of a
vast army, the suppression of free
speech, free press and the command
eering of all the railroads. telegraphs
and telephones, what was there to pre-
vent congress and the presiden. from
going q step farther and from declar-
ing . dictatorship as war measure
and continuing 1t as peace measure.
Who would have thought that 81 war
aAd q peaco the railroads, the tele-
phoaes ana the people were 20 easily
'tMcAdo0ed.
Keeping all this IN mind, We should
z 49,