Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-12-18
TOOK A SHOT AT ROOT.
Mr.. w. A. Barber Makes Good Speech
In New York.

The Southern society Of New York
celebrated its twenty-fift anniversary
at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel last Fri
day night, Among the distinguished
speakers were DR.. Woodrow Wilson OF
Princeton university and Hon. Will
liam A. Barber, former attorney gen.
eral Of South Carolina.
When his turn came, Mr.. Barber,
speaking to the "Old South" tackled
Elihu Root for his revolutionary speech,
made to the Pennsylvanians at the
same place only few nights ago. The
Sun says that Barber stirred up the
society and it's guests, and that there
was wild applause from some sections
of the grand ball room, although there
were also some silent shots. What Mr..
Barber said was in part as follows:
1t seems fashionable nowadays TO
discuss constitutional questions around
the dinner table. UaughterD Only
two nights ago, on an occasion like
this, the distinguished secretary of
state, speaking In this banquet hall,
gave his hearers enough constitutional
law to give some people indigestion.
His views are always interesting, but
especially when ne speaks as the trib-
une of a cabinet of which he Is so
important a part.
It is pleasing to be reminded that,
since our constitution was adopted,
our country has grown from a narrow
strip along the Atlantic until 1t
stretches from ocean to ocean, and
embraces some S5,000,000 population.
1t Is pleasing to be told that since the
constitution was adopted the genius OF
modern invention has so destroyed time
and distance that every section OF this
great country Is in immediate contact,
and has intimate trade and social re-
lations with every other section.
But with his conclusion that this
increase in area and population, and
this close business intercourse demand
either a modification or new con-
struction of the constitution we cannot
agree. We believe, with our fathers,
that our people are slow to change;
that the size of the country and the
exigencies Of trade are less important
than the preservation Of individual
liberty. We believe that the rights Of
each citizen today are the same as the
rights of each citizen Of the smaller
country in 1887. We believe these
rights, are and will continue to be, best
preserved by an inexorable enforce
ment of the old constitution.
II it be true, as there Is a growing
impression, that the executive reaches
out to control the courts and, perhaps,
get the new construction OF the con-
stitution that Is wanted, we invoke the
warning Of Chief Justice Marshall that
the very safety Of the republic requires
the legislative, executive and judicial
powers to remain forever separate and
distinct Although we are told that
I'VE are moving forward In a develop
ment of business and social life which
tends more and more to the oblitera-
ton of state lines and the decrease OF
state power, as compared with the ma
tional power" we will still teach our
children that the nation Is divided into
sovereign states. In our schools we
may see few syllables reformed out
Of our spelling, but we will not see
state lines reformed out Of our geo.
graphy.
And, too, some Of us believe that the
fixing of qualifications for admission
to the public schools is among the
powers reserved to the states, and that
the old constitution will not admit the
army and navy Of the United States
to the deliberations Of our school
boards. And again, not only because
we believe such matters are reserved
to the states, but because we are
peaceable people, preferring the reap
er to the rife and the spelling book to
the strenuous suggestion that the pow
er of congress be used to add shooting
galleries to our public schools.
have no patience with the pessimist
who sees nothing but evil in his own
times. l have no patience with the
alarmist who is blind to everything
except danger signal. But any pru-
dent and thoughtful man, not only In
public affairs, but in private life, need
only look around him to see that all
things are not good and that the road
ahead Is not clear.
With Investigations and indictments
and trials exposing greed in high
places and grab and graft abroad IN
the land, we turn with grateful men,
ory to the earlier times when men said
with Henry Laurens of South Carolina
II am a poor man-God knows / am a
poor man-but your king Is not rich
enough to buy me-" When we see the
worth Of a man estimated by the mon
ey he has in the bank. in his house, his
clothes, his automobiles, the more do
we treasure the old southern sentiment
that measures the individual not by
what he has. but by how he gets IT,
The mile post of progress is not dol
lar mark The label of success Is not
stock certificate.