Speech #530152680

Let me call the attention of the Senate to the fact that the appropriations made for the Agricultural Department.itself..from. the Secretary of Agriculture down to the very lowest employ6. stand upon the same constitutional authority as does this. proposed appropriation. The Agricultural Departmentiexercises noneof the functions of government.. Take the whole list which I have in my hand of gyanted powerscontained in the Constitution of the United States:iaali the clauses of section 8 of Article I. to levy taxes. to borrow money. to regulate commerce. to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies. to coin money.. to provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States. to establish postoffices and postroads. to promote the progress of science by granting letterspatent. to constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court. to define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas. to declare war. to raise and support armies. to provide and maintain a Navy. to make rulesfor the government and regulation of the land and naval forces. to provide for calling forth militia. to provide for organizing. arming. and disciplining the militia. to exercise exclusive power over the District of Columbia. When you read them all you will have every governmental function conferred upon the National Government. and in them you do not find any power to establish an AgriculturalDepartment. to make inquiry as to the progress of the crops. to distribute seed among the American people. to suppress pleuropneumonia. and all that sort of thing. All these come outside of and under another authority in the Constitution. and that isthe power of appropriation. when you have no power of jurisdiction. provided only the appropriation is made to general subjects. and does not. amount to a. mere gift to privat4 individuals.