PAGE TWO
HEPPNER GAZETTE TIMES, HEPPNER, OREGON, THURSDAY, SEPT. 12, 1935.
Why the Constitution Contains Restrictive Features
As to Territory, as to Commerce, as to the Sac
redness of Private Contracts, as to Money.
By CALVIN CRUM BAKER
Patronizing critics of the pres
ent period condescendingly attrib
ute many features of the Constitu
tion to ignorance, the shortsighted
ness, the narrow-mindedness of the
Revolutionary fathers.
How could they know the tribu
lations and problems of modern so
ciety? How could they know how
necessary and desirable it might
be to release debtors from their
obligations, either by direct act or
by subterfuge? How could they
know that it might be expedient to
burden commerce to carry out
some temporarily expedient re
form? The answer is they knew by the
best of all sources of information
by experience. Hamilton in desper
ation cried out, "There is scarcely
anything that can wound the pride
or degrade the character of an in
dependent nation that we., do not
experience."
Under the confederation states
were unblushingly violating their
solemn obligations. State legisla
tures were engaging in acts de
signed to relieve debtors from their
debts. Credit was all but destroyed,
not because of lack of money but
because of the bad faith exhibited
by legislative bodies.
Commerce was at a low ebb, many
states were engaging in desultory
commercial warfare. Three states,
wishing to punish Great Britain
for violation of treaty rights, de
cided to close their porta to her
commerce.
Connecticut immediately threw
hers open, and levied import duties
against Massachusetts. Pennsyl
vania discriminated against Dela
ware and New Jersey. New York
levied duties against firewood from
Connecticut and dairy products
from New Jersey. New Jersey re
taliated by taxing a lighthouse be
longing to New York located on
New Jersey soil. Connecticut mer
chants formed a league against
New York and attempted a severe
penalty for violation.
Pennsylvania militia, backed by
the legislature, attacked the Con
necticut settlers in Wyoming Val
ley which had been awarded to
Pennsylvania. Homes were burned,
men killed and wounded. A gueril
la warfare raged for months. New
England partisans threatened an
army to relieve their Yankee breth-
:n.
Vermont claimed territory in New
York as far as the Hudson, and a
large part of New Hampshire.
Troops were raised and only the
good sense of General Washington
averted open war.
Paper money was issued and re
pudiated by the various states, no
tably Rhode Island, South Carolina
and Georgia sought to penalize
those who refused paper at lull
value. Judges In Rhode Island who
over-ruled the highhanded laws of
the state were removed from office.
Shay's debtor farmers in Massa
chusetts opened armed insurrec
tion, finally capitulating to General
Lincoln's state army.
Small wonder, indeed, that the
Federal Constitution, when drawn,
contained restrictive clauses. Small
wonder that states who have re
peatedly attempted mercantilistic
policies have found many times
that freedom of action is denied
them. It is only as expediency and
local interest are bound by national
policy that performance and sta
bility are assured. A popular whim,
or mania, may have to give way to
stable control.
With regard to commerce, the
Constitution took from the states
the right to control commerce be
cause of abuses which had led to
petty reprisals which completely de
moralized commerce. Congress was
given the power to regulate com
merce with foreign nations and
among the several states and with
the Indian tribes.
Even in the simple agricultural
society of 1789 it was inoonvenient
to have the states, as feudal over
lords, interfering with trade and
commerce. Most commerce was
local, and usually became interstate
somewhat incidentally as related
communities lay on opposite sides
of the state line.
Historians seem to agree that the
commerce of each state was largely
with Great Britain rather than be
tween the states.
The population was small, esti
mated at not to exceed four million.
In spite of the sparse population
' and relatively self-supporting local'
ities, the path to future develop-
ment lay through the development
of trade and commerce, and the an
archy of a feudalized confederation
was not conducive to iU develop
ment The true significance of commerce
has only appeared with the passage
of time. The germ of trade exist
ing in 1787 grew, slowly at first, and
then more robustly until commerce
became the outstanding character
istic of the age. The development
of the railroad net, the economic
interrelationship of widely separ
ated areas, the gradual develop
ment of rate and service regulation
of railroads, all bear witness of the
importance of interstate commerce.
In 1935 a population 3000 per cent
greater than that of 1789 occupies
the territory of the United States.
Each person is busied in an econ
omic activity that must involve
commerce with other states. Most
of our economic activities result in
interstate commerce and most of
our consumption involves out of
state products.
States have not lost their desires
to exploit the citizens and trade of
other states. Not infrequently
states under guise of quarantine
laws attempt to exclude the foods
of other states. California excludes
the fruit from Oregon, Montana ex
cludes hay from Idaho, and sheep
men of Montana exclude Idaho
sheep from the Federal forests of
Montana on the ground of danger
of infection.
Without the provisions of the
Constitution which placed the con
trol of interstate commerce beyond
the grasp of states, the country
would long since have become feu
dalized. Development of industry
and commerce would have been
slackened and growth stunted.
Strangely enough, the present
day problem of control of com
merce is not a question of state in
terference with interstate commerce
but a question of Federal control
of intrastate commerce.
Not only may the states be re
strained from interference with in
terstate commerce but the Federal
Government can be restrained from
reaching out into the states and
controlling domestic commerce.
The more interdependent we be
come the more seriously is one state
affected by the laws and practices
of another.
Massachusetts, with advanced
child labor laws, found itself un
dersold and completely discomfited
by Southern states that permitted
both white and colored children to
be exploited by industry. Imme
diately there was a demand that
not only interstate, but by subter
fuge or otherwise, intrastate com
merce be turned over to the regula
tion of Congress.
This division of commerce into
state and interstate presents diffl
cult problems from time to time.
The line of demarcation U never
permanently located. Certain prin
ciples are fully established, but
others can onlv be announced ab
they arise and are disposed of.
Winter Short Courses to
Be Revived at 0. S. C.
Progressive Oregon farmers In
terested in gaining first hand know
ledge of the latest developments
and the most successful methods in
the many fields of scientific agricul
ture will have an opportunity this
winter to attend an agricultural
short course of several weeks du
ration at Oregon State college, an
nounces W. A. Schoenfeld, dean
and director of agriculture at the
college.
Definite dates have not been set,
but it is expected that the course
will start sometime in January
when farm work in Oregon is least
pressing and continue for six weeks
or possibly longer. While the de
tailed outline of the course is not
yet complete, work will be available
in all of the departments of the
school, including farm crops, poul
try, dairy and animal husbandry,
veterinary medicine, farm manage
ment and agricultural economics,
horticulture, soils, agricultural en
gineering and the new department
of fish, game and fur animal man
agement The work will all be of a practical
nature, applicable to Immediate use
on Oregon farms, says Dean
Schoenfeld. While all farmers are
eligible to attend, the course is be
ing designed largely in response to
the needs of former 4-H club and
Future Farmer members who are
not continuing in an educational In
stitution but are entering at once
the business of farming.
AAA Wheat Program 1
Improved Say OSC Men
Actual contract signing for the
new four-year wneat proauction
control program will probably not
take place until about the middle of
October, according to E. R. Jack-
man, O. S. C. extension agronomist,
who is heading the educational
campaign in Oregon. Mr. Jackman
and other extension officials attend
ed a regional conference at Boise
where they learned details of the
new contracts and laid plans for
getting the information to the grow
ers in advance of the sign-up.
In general these Oregon repre
sentatives were favorably impressed
by the terms of the new plan, they
report Growers will be safe in go
ing ahead with fall planting on the
basis of information already avail
able, they believe. The percentage
of eduction to be left in contracted
or what are now known as "ad
justed" acres has been definitely
fixed at S per cent
The new plan follows the old in
all fundamentals, although many
minor chaiges designed to simplify
operation and make it more prac
tical as a semi-permanent program
are included. One of these changes
permits the taking out of a larger
number of poorer acres, rather than
a fixed percentage of average acres.
A flexible payment plan is includ
ed by which the second payment
will be held up until the average
farm price for most of the year is
determined. The amount of the
second payment will then he set at
the point which will insure parity
prices on the amount of each grow
er's domestic allotment. Less need
for haste in getting the contracts
signed is seen this year than was
the case previously when first pay
ment checks had to await the ac
ceptance of the contracts. The first
payment under the new plan cannot
be made anyway until compliance
for 1936 is shown.
In summarizing the results of the
first three years of wheat adjust
ment control the federal leaders at
the Boise conference listed three
main benefits. First, it brought
farmers together. Next, it increased
farm income, and finally it was the
start of an important land conser
vation program. Not all credit for
the better price can be given to the
wheat plan, the men admitted, al
though it has been an Important
factor in increasing the cash in
come of the American wheat grow
er.
Rural Aid Service Now
Located on OSC Campus
Corvallis. Headquarters of the
Rural Rehabilitation Service for
Oregon have been transferred to
the Oregon State campus at Cor
vallis and the service placed par
tially under the supervision of the
O. S. C. extension service, F. L.,
Ballard, vice-director of extension,
announces.
Clifford Smith, formerly county
agent of Clatsop county, is acting
state director of rural rehabilitation
in place, having held that position
for more than a year. Other mem
bers of the staff include Mrs. Clara
B. Thompson, associate director in
charge of home economics activ
ities, and Glenn Weaver, assistant
director.
Farm families that through some
such reason as fire, flood, livestock
or crop losses, or sickness have ex
hausted their credit facilities, but
who can be returned to a self-sus
taining status by limited financial
aid are eligible for rehabilitation
through this service, according to
Mr. Smith. Approximately 5000
farm families were granted some
form of direct or work relief from
various sources in Oregon in the
past year, he said.
George Scott Takes Up
OSC Alumni Leadership
Corvallis George Scott, freshman
football coach at O. S. C. for the
past two years, will take up his new
duties as secretary of the Oregon
State college alumni association and
editor of the Oregon State Month
ly here September 15. His appoint
m.nt will allow E. C. Allworth. who
has been handling the duties of
both offices, to give lull time to nis
work as manager of the Memorial
Union building.
Scott is a former uregon state
football star, and is rated as one of
the smartest and fastest halfbacks
the Orange team has ever had. He
was graduated from the school of
commerce In 1929, and was appoint
ed athletic coach and assistant
principa at Baker high school. He
resigned this position in June, 1933,
to become coach of the freshman
football team at his alma mater.
Miss Eunice Courtwright, known
to Oregon State alumni everywhere
for her outstanding work as rec
ords clerk for the association, will
continue in this position under the
new managemnt it is announced.
Printing in the modern mode as
turned out by the Gazette Times
shop will please you and attract at
tention to your business.
IHS 0F PEIIEl ROUND-UP START I
Queen of the 1035 Pendleton Round-Dp, Helen Hanscll of Athena, Oregon, beckons one and all to the
' time honored leader of all frontier exhibitions which will be held September 12, 13 and 14.
Inviting all lovers of the old
West to the 26th annual Pendleton
Round-Up, September 12, 13 and
14, Dr. Wilson D. McNary, presi
dent of the Pendleton Round-Up
Association, draws attention to a
seven point program of Improve
ment which will make this year's
show greater than ever. The
points of improvement are: still
better bucking contests; the finest
"Westward Ho" parade In Round
Up history; Increased prize money
for contestants; more Indians en
camped on the ground?; popular
ticket prices; $10,000 spent to im
prove grandstands and arena; a
larger field of entries In racing,
roping and bulldogglng; and a
more attractive "Happy Canyon"
pageant and night show.
"Roosevelt Trophy" and "Phillip
Rollins," will have to look to their
laurels this year for the Round
Up will bave 100 head of backers
to draw from. Among them are
new discoveries loaded with equine
dynamite. .
Parade Director George Strand
has even sent abroad for boots of
a certain cut to insure the histor
ical accuracy of one of the man;
sections of the "Westward Ho" pa
rade which will be staged on Fri
day, September 13th. The parade
will be sponsored by the granges
of Umatilla county this year and,
with all the pioneer characters of
stagecoach and covered wagon
days, will be more elaborate and
colorful than ever before. No
other western exhibition has as
many Indian participants as the
Pendleton Round-Up and nowhere
Is a parade put on of the caliber
of the "Westward Ho," parade In
the opinion of thousands who bave
seen It
The thing that Insures world's
championship performers In bronc
riding, bulldogglng and roping
contests la the $8,000 prize list tor
this year's exhibition, the largest
amount offered since Just after the
World War. In addition, $1,600
worth of merchandise awards are
being given. Last year's field of
competitors, drawn from nearly
every state In the Union and from
Canada, numbered 215. This year
more than 300 are expected, ac
cording to E. N. "Pinky" Boylen,
Arena Director, and John Hales,
Competitive Events Director.
Three of the new bucking hor
ses purchased this year by the
Round-Up are "Pilot Rock," "Jack
'O Spades" and "Mystery " "Pilot
Rock," a 1300 pound sensatlos,
was acquired from Walter Smith
of Pilot Rock. . The other two, of
which great things are expected
by Livestock Director Herb
Thompson, were acquired at Union,
Oregon,
Advance reservations, according
to Roy W. Rltner, Round-Up as
sociation secretary, are tar In ex
cess of previous years and a heavy
attendance from the East Is In
dicated. When the Round-Up
makes Its bow September 12. 13
and 14, packed stands are assured.
AS THE WORLD
MOVES
O No greater tribute to the power of advertising can be
cited than the large automotive industry of today. Advertis
ing was the medium which told the people of the automobile;
which created in the people a desire to purchase. It was the
medium that brought about quantity production costs to make
possible the purchase of an automobile by people of small1
means.
O Had the story of the automobile never been told, we of the
West might still be travelling by horse and buggy over dirt
roads, slowly, laboriously and uncomfortably as the dust or
mud in season prevailed.
O As the world moves its story is told in ADVERTISING.
The intelligent shopper reads, and the intelligent merchant
tells.