The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-02-02
Should Call a Halt.
(Rutland Herald

Congressman Greene of Vermont is
right in his element when he IS attack.
ing over-centralization Of government al
WashingtOn.-Barre Times.
1t is rather significant that both Con
gresham Greene and Senator Dilling-
ham, two wide years apart, should have
elected to stand practically on the same
proposition in regard to the steady pol
icy of encrOachmcnt on state rights by
the federal government.
The subject which inspired Senator
Dillingham'S special protest was the 10Th
amendment, about which such a storm
Of controversy and protest whirled during
the past year. Without necessarily OPP
posing the right of women to equal suf-
frage rights with men. the senator
warned against the danger which it
opened up of impairing or inyaiIdating
fundamentals of the state constitution.
Since hat time, direct arrangements
on the constitution of Vermont and many
other states have included the 10Th
amendment. which invades the exclusive
right of the state to lay Il tax on in
comes the 18th amendment, which in
vades the time-hOnored and carefully
preserved right of exercising its own po-
lice power, the 18th amendment, which
not only impairs the states right to reg
ulate the suffrage but which was adopted
in accordance with Il plan which in eff
feet amends the constitution of Vermont
contrary to its own specific terms.
Governor Clement, during his term Of
office, was thought by many partisans to
have adopted an extreme position in re-
spect to such amendments. but it may
well be noted that probably not one of
the Vermont delegation would undertake
TO question the essential truth of the fol
lowing. taken from an address delivered
ut the governors conference in Harris
burg the early part of last month
Tin, "a of thu tArT. EaALf Va4nVrf uyRAv,I
mcntS. viz. The 18th, 18th and 10Th.
all adopted within the last decade, are.
each OF them. direct invasionS of state
rights. and each of thCm has been inn
posed upon the people of Vermont, in
common with the rest of the country,
without their consent. Two of them
have resulted in amending the conStitu-
ton of Vermont by n method contrary
to that provided for its amendment. and
in a manner never contemplated by the
trainers of the constitution of Vermont,
or that of the United States
Judging from the spirited fashion in
which Congressman Greene attacked
the policy of giving AWAY u inherent
and fundamental rights in state govern
ment. the dangers referred to above are
by no means imaginary
There Is 40 way to prevent organized
Tainorities from getting their way with
congress and state legislatures except
bA competing thtln 70 SUBMIT To the YER
dict of the majority. How can that be
duro:
The following quotation is worth con
sidcring and the Herald most respectfully
calls the attention of the delegation in
Washington thereto:
There is n remedy for this condition.
that rests with the people themselves.
and that remedy Is an amendment TO the
federal constitution. providing that no
further amendments shall become cffec-
tive unless sanctioned by the people.
either voting directly Upou ~uch proposal
of the amendment. or taking action
through a conYeRtion elected solely for
that purpose. mAho other way can the.
people of this country be ~Safcguardnd.
against the dangers of which Washington
gave such clear warning"