The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-08-20

wilderness all about them. perhaps
with a pale ghost OF the dead summer
haunting the air and the early autumn
sunset nooding the water with yellow
light did something which after eight
generations have come and gone men
are not willing to forget.
1T was deed SO memorable that
state and nation join TO commemorate
II and mark the place 30 that II may
ever be known to those who pass this
way. Yet II was verysimpledeed.
Merely signing O. compact that they
would form a government. obey the
laws hereafter to be made. and carry
out the purpose OF their coming.
1.-The compact OF the Mayfower took
the idea OF fundamental or organic
law created for the protection OF those
who made II and embodied IL in the
form of one written instrument. The
force and worth Of this great concep-
tion have been attested since by al
most countless constitutions OF gov
ernment both at home and abroad.
Many have failed either through
their own shortcomings or the UNIT
ness OF those who tried TO make them
work. Many others have succeeded
They flourish today among all the ma
tions OF western civilization, the prin-
ciple has been adopted by japan and is
striven for by Russia. they are univer-
sal In both American continents for
oIdte1 ana NATIONS hllk6 anu tney nnQ
their masterpiece In the constitution
Of the United States.
'How constantly do we hear IL said that
present conditions cannot endure and that
we must advance toward socialism. the
new theory which Is TO solve all problems
and wipe away all tears.
Socialism is bad and / for one am
utterly opposed to II. but / am not op-
posed to II because II Is new. because
as q matter Of fact II is very old. II is
at least as old In theory as the time of
Plato. $500 years ago. and the Circum-
cellions OF the NTH century who tried to
put II In practice where one of the sore
plaques of the later Roman empire.
''On the other hand l have no SYM
pathy with those who blindly and Bit
terly resist all efforts to deal with the
corporations and especially with the
railroads which modern economic forces
have brought into existence. New and
complex condition have arisen demand
ing new laws. Novelty Is not the argy-
metn either for or against the control
and regulation Of the railroads.
They must be regulated and con-
trolled because they and other great COR
porations represent a new and colossal
for which no provision was made by
those who went before. simply because
the forces and the dangers which the
present times have brought forth did
not then exist New occasions teach
new duties and new problems must re-
The men who brought slavery to It's
end fought their battle within the
limits OF the Constitution. The man
who saved the union and emancpated
the slaves was Abriham Lincoln. Whig
and Republican, not Wendell Philips. the
aboltionist who assailed him.
The way. therefore, TO meet our new
| questions is by holding hast to the great
underlying principles which have been
our stay and salvation In all our trials
great and small, while at the same time
We extend them by new laws or con-
stitutional amendments to cope with
| new conditions.
"One OF the oldeTt OF these principles
is 10 be found in the compact OF the
! Mayfiower. That principle Is that at
the foundation of every government
there shall be an organic law adopted
ridden by any less authority and TO
which all laws and all officers OF the
government shall be subject.
| THE little company OF the Mayfower,
pathetic In their weakness and suffering,
imposing and triumphant in what they
did. has belonged to the ages these many
years. The work they wrought has en-
dured and we would not barter their in
heritance for the heritage OF kings. But
that which was greatest In their work
embodied in the compact. conception
full of wisdom and patience, prehguring
commonwealth in which order and prog
ress were to 70 hand In hand.
ain whatever change or whatever we
| lay aside let US never abandon that re~er-
ence for law and for the constitution
higher than all states or statutes which
has been the great protector OF our liber-
ties and the guardian OF our republic
Then we may say without reserve In the
words cf the motto which the city OF the
Puritsns placed upon her seal: Stout
patrlbus sit Deus nobis''