Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-04-16
WRIapgrAncR.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT CATECHISM.
BY MRS. J. ELLEN FOSTER.

For the ". G. T. 2. Bands Of Hope |
and Other Temperance Workers.
Dues. What is true temperance?
Ans. The proper control of the
appetites.
What is the rule of action for all
true temperance people?
Moderation in the use of good
things, total abstinence from bad
things.
What is the duty of all true tenn
perance people?
Their duty to society is to teach
what they practice, and to pursue as
far as they are able, approved lines
of temperance work. 1t is their duty
to the State and nation of which they
are citizens, to labor by head and
heart and hand for the entire over
throw of the manufacture of and
traffic in all alcoholic beverages.
What do you mean by the State?
An association of persons under
one government. In this book it is
to distinguish any one of the UNITED
States The people of the United
States are called the nation.
Has the State a right to abolish
any trade or business carried on by
its citizens?
Yes, when that trade or business
Injuries the people.
How does this business injure the
people?
1t destroys the grain that God in
tended for food for man and beast.
The use of alcoholic beverages less
ems a mans ability to labor, and thus
to be himself a source of wealth to
the State. 1t produces pauperism
and insanity, vice and crime, which
demoralize the citizens and ruin the
State. The care of the idle, the vic
ious, the insane, the poor, the crimi-
nal, impose burden of taxation upon
the Industrious and sober. which is a
usurpation of power by the State.
The payment of taxes is legitimate
and every member of society ought
thus to contribute of his means to a
common fund which shall be appro-
priated to the common welfare, and
to care for the unfortunate poor, the
afflicted, and to the aged it is not
right, however, to uphold business
that, for its own benefit, increases
these burdens. This the liquor traf
fic does.
Does the State now attempt to con
troll this traffic?
All the States attempts some con
troll. These laws are called loca
option, license, tax, or prohibitory
according to the manner in whicl
they deal with the traffic.
. How are local option, license, ant
e tax laws defective?
: They are wrong in principle an,
: do not accomplish the desired result
How about prohibitory laws?
They are right in principle an
benefcent in result.
What is the best form of prohibi
5. tory legislation?
Constitutional prohibition with Ell
Z forcing statutes.
u What is Constitution?
1t is the organic law of State {
st nation. A plan of government.
:. is a statement of principles, an agree
er ment of mutual obligations by whic
the people consent to be governed
y = 1t divides and limits the functions
ne government, into the legislative, Il
Judiciary, and the executive.
y. Who makes the Constitution of
IS State?
~ The people of the State.
Why do the people make it?
ny Because all political power inher
. in the people. They are sovereign
lie in a free government.
3D. How do the people make it?
re-. They could not all meet togeth
Ter in a common place, because they a
0 ~, so many; so they choose persons
in meet in a convention, called a Co
stitutional Convention these perso
ron frame what they term Constitute
This is submitted to the people at
hat election called for that purpos
els They then vote upon it, and eth
of adopt or reject it. If rejected, t
"a people call another convention, a
end try again to make one they can agl
apr to adopt; If adopted, it thus
comes the voice of the people.
yer Of all the people?
mel No; of qualified electors on
to Paupers, criminals, idiots and WON
To can not be qualified electors.
i th' What is the object of governmeI
be The protection of human RICH
mas The Declaration of Independer
tiers says: eve hold these truths to
dys- self-evident, that all men are Great
= ;. free and equal, endowed with cert
less lnalienable rights, among which
life, liberty, and the pursuit of h
piness." To secure these rigt
,een governments are instituted amc
ex- men.
a. Does the Constitution have a.
I'm thing to do with the happiness of
people.
' a'a. The perfection of State and
ere aptitude to fulfill the ends of soci
depends upon its Constitution.
and Can a Constitution be changed