The Minneapolis journal., 1901-05-25
WHATTHE PEOPLE MAKE IT

President Mckinley, in the course of his
speech at San Francisco yesterday to the
Loyal Legion and Sons and Daughters OF
the American Revolution, said:
This government is precisely what the peo-
pie make It, and one historic fact that love
to recall is that the only speech George
Washington made as president of the sconsti-
tutional convention, presiding over its delib-
erations was in favor OF a proposition to in
crease the power of the people. And the
craftsmanship that will continue to recognize
the people in the affairs OF government, the
administration that will keep close to the
people, the lawmaker that will consult the
wisdom and judgment of the people, will con-
stitute the craftsmanship of the future which
will give security for all time to this free
government Of ours
This is sound doctrine. The govern
ment under which we are now living and
prospering, is q government constructed
in accord with the desire of the people.
The government of this country under the
confederation from 1776 to 1889 was one
made by the people. They found, after
testing 1t, that 1t would not work. 1t
was loose jointed affair, without power
to enforce it's own laws. and the people
changed it into a federal government, for
they found that it was folly for gov
ernment to try to live on unsecured 1. o.
us and occasional gifts of money from its
friends. The federal form came as the
result of experience, which demanded
central administration, a central legisla-
tive assembly for the whole group of
states, with power of taxation to meet the
expenses of the government. From 1889
to the present time this federal union has
been maintained by the people, who so
upheld its integrity, that the attempt to
disrupt it through the secession of certain
states, was Immediately resented by the
people who backed the whole power con-
ferred on the central government to make
war, and the seeding states were COM
PEELED to come back. And when 1t was
found necessary to strengthen the powers
of the central federal government, as the
nation grew in numbers and territory and
Importance among the nations of the
world, in wealth. industrial development.
trade, ETC., it was the people who made
and sanctioned the necessary changes.
The president is right when he says that
this government is precisely what the
people make it, If the federal govern
ment has been more centralized during the
past third of a century, it has been cen
tralized by the will of the people. If
they so determine they can, to-day, put
us back under the old articles Of con-
federation. But they do not want them.
Whatever may be the talk of disgruntled
people about ''usurpation," treason" as
the governing power is conformed to the
necessities growing out of unparalleled
progress and development, the solid fact
remains that this government is precise
ly what the people make it, 1t is useless
for those who are not in acore with the
up-to-date administration to resist the
inevitable. 1t is puerile to heap abuse
upon the president 1t is silly for them
to chant nursery rhymes like:
Tall he is as Rouen steepIe,
And his teeth like iron. saws;
He breakfasts, dimes on naughty people,
Crunches babies in his jaws.
AS the German Chancellor Won Buelow
would remark, these bogey- makers are
sure to "get their fingers pinched in the
door hinge"