| Show republicanism AND DEMOCRACY WE publish today another communicated munica ted article on the two great political parties this however is chiefly historical it will give to those who have not studied the subject some insi insight ht into the origin of the republican republic n party and the principal distinction between it and the democratic party there are only two points in the article which we think necessary to comment upon one is the statement that while the democratic party holds that congress possesses no power except that which the states have delegated to it the republican party claims that the states possess no powers except those given to them by congress the other is that in the house of representatives each member is elected by a constituency irrespective of state boundaries both of these we regard as erroneous the republican party cerbi ily cannot claim that the states possess s no powers but those gained arm congress because thirteen of the states existed before there was any congress we think the republican idea is expressed too broadly the republican party has not yit repudiated the constitution athas only interpreted its provisions to favor a centralization of power in the federal government the republican judges of the supreme court of the united states have been quite as ready in most instances to recognize within certain limits the doctrine of state rights as have the democratic judges and the right of the people I 1 in u each commonwealth mon wealth to form their own constitution ution and proceed in their own way to organize and obtain admission into the union has been conceded by the republicans particularly of late years if anything more cordially than by the democrats prominent democratic senators and representatives have recently argued that territories could not hold conventions and frame state constitutions without an enabling act from frem congress and strange to say aay the republicans have disputed the proposition and affirmed the right of the people to do all this without any action by congress this shows that they do not hold the view on this subject which is conveyed in the article under discussion cus sion every member of the house of representatives ie elected from an election district pf bf olwe individual and independent state there are no election districts outside outside of state boundaries there is no electa election on district sending pending a repress represo representative to congress which is composed of parts of different states neither montana nor idaho possesses enough population to make up the full number of a representative election district yet each will send one member to the lower Hou house seand and each election elec tian district will be included in and comprised by state boundaries therefore the statement to the contrary is a mistake with these exceptions the birti article acle contains subject matter of profi tand we recommend aitto the attention of our young people who are investigating the political history and d doctrines oc of our common country |
