The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-01-26
FROM THE FATHERS TO HARRl
SON.
american Economist.)


anniversary of the adoption OF the
Constitution of the United States and
no year goes by without reference to
that memorial instrument. II has
been attacked and defended, it has
been discussed and amended, it has
called forth speeches of splitting
technicality, it has given birth to the
undying arguments of Webster and the
homely wisdom of Lincoln. From the
days of the "Federalst" to those of the
mighty debaters in the ami bellum
senate. from the giant senators to the
fierce controversies of the Civil war,
from the wars Impeachment of john
son to Cooley's Constitutional Limi-
tations" and the three amendments of
recent years il survives. Even those
who have given little study to purely
legal questions know that every great
step ever taken or proposed by any
administration has been questioned on
constitutional grounds. The United
States banks, the doctrine of implied
powers. the purchase of the Louisiana
territory. the trial of Aaron Burr, the
war measures of 1912. the conduct OF
jackson in Florida, the notification
episode the acquisition of land to the
southwark. the restrictions on the cir
culation of anti-slavery documents,
the rendition of fugitives, the suppress
sion of the uprising of 1861. the
changes that followed the abolition of
slavery, the third term. the income
tax the act to regulate Interstate
commerce. the campaign against the
Louisiana lottery. olemargarin, the
prohibition OF the manufacture and
sale of intoxicants, the railroad ad-
ministration of the war period the
shooting of birds. the status of eccles-
iasical establishments in the Philip
pines. the league of nations, and the
residence of Jack Johnson have all
been matters of which the constitu-
ton bore directly or indirectly
Daniel Webster said that desire to
shield American capital and labor from
foreign competition was one of the
leading motives for the adoption of
the constitution. The first tariff act
in our history that of 1889, was intro
duced by James Madison and signed
NV George Washington Jackson. in
his message of 1890 said that Wash
ington. jefferson, Madison and Mon
roe had indorsed the constitutiOnality
of protection The pretense that it
was not constitutional was an after
thought, a favorite with those whose
real objection was that under substan-
tial schedules free labor went forward
and slave labor Jagged behind.
For years. indeed for nearly three
there was alweys some
one to say that protection was uncon-
The sincerely of these
speeches was questionable because
many of them were made by persons
who upheld secession. But when Sen
ator Hin of New York reminded a
southern senator that it was the con-
stitution of the lost cause which for
babe protection the southerner waxed
wroth. II was considered eXecrable |
taste and the worst possible manners !
to refer to the Davis constitution al |
though we had questionable laudations /
Of iisioyaity and even hints that we /
ought to pension those who had tried |
to sunder the bonds of Bunker Hin |
and Yorktown.
For some reason Senator Harrison /
of Mississippi concludes that it is well
to drop all humbugs. He pleads with
the southern democrats (and many
there are). who favor protection to re-
member that the confederate constitu-
ton adopted in 1861 distinctly con-
demned it, 1t did. He is right there,
though wrong in supposing that the
unsavory odors of a document long
putrid will influence many legislators
Of today
BY all means let Senator Harrison's
protest be fairly and freely advertised
all over the land. He gives up all pre-
.ence that protection is contrary to the
of Washington and Mar
shall. the constitution that Webster
and Bancroft studied. the
constitution dear to the states diverse
Is the pillows. yet one as the sea" 1t
,ieases him rather TO cite the constitu-
ion that sought to perpetuate slavery. t.;
he constitution that was Jared when
he Monitor baffled the Merrimac, the
constitution that is chiefly remem-
'ered for an issue of bonds more fishy
han the worst oil stocks of this sea-
on BY all means, let Senator Harri-
on gather around him all who weep ]
or the constitution of 1861, and may
protection hold the allegiance of all
Who support the constitution of 1887. !