Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1908-04-18
MINNESOTA EXECUTIVE, MAKES
NOTABLE ADDRESS. -
QUESTION oFSTATERlGHTs
Docs Not Approve Of Commemorative
Being Made Subservient to In
ferior Federal Courts-Would
l., Urh' d Constitution.

delivered at the dedication of the Min.
nesota monument on Shiloh battle
field, April 10, an address that will
rank as one of the ablest public de-
hverances Of recent times. Spoken
on battlefield that may be taken as
the symbol Of the great war for the
union, the governor took occasion to
tell Of the peril that threatens our fed
eral form of government. This peril
was emphasized by the recent deci-
sion OF the supreme court in the rail-
way cases going up from Minnesota
and North Carolina, which practi-
cally makes the state governments
subservient TO the inferior federal
courts. The significance Of these de-
cisions is widely understood, and they
have given rise to a general discus
sion of the question of the rights of
the states, and Gov. Johnson's speech
will rank as an important contribu-
tion to that discussion. The dedica-
tory address in part follows:
Representing the people of the COM
monwealth of Minnesota, we are as
sembled on one of the historic battle
helds of the civil war to pay our trib-
ute of respect and affection to the
memory of the sons Of Minnesota
who here yielded up their lives that
this might continue to be a united ma
tion. Their sacrifice was not for per-
sonal gain, but was in response to
duty, and a contribution to the civ
ilizatfon OF the age, and for the pur-
pose of perpetuattng the institution of
human liberty. -. .,--.. =. -.
l appreciate that nothing which l
can say will add to or detract from
the. glory Of their achievement, which
II noself Is an enduring monument to
the patriotism and heroism of the
American soldier. Their sacrifice,
however, was not different from that
which has been made throughout all
of the ages by those lovers f-.4iberty
who believe in a government wAidh
might give to all the, people. the right
TO life, liberty and property. .;Ehe'
love OF liberty. was not born in this
country Of ours; it was Graded along
the Danube and about the shores of
the Baltic, even when Rome. had
reached the limit of her imperial
grandeur. Increasing in intensity
with the passing of the centuries, 1t
found It's highest expression in the
older countries in the great English
charter Of civil rights, which forever
guaranteed to the people Of that land
immunity from the despotism Of those
who claimed to rule by virtue of Dr.
vine right.
One hundred and thirty-two years
ago the great contest Of humanity was
transferred from the old world to the
new, and here, because of the isola-
ton Of this country, because of the
high character of the man who es-
poused the cause of liberty, and be-
cause of the signal victory achieved
by them In that struggle, an opportu-
nifty was afforded to crystalline into
written law the aspirations Of the pa
triots Of all the ages. The men who
built the foundations Of this govern
ment were those who had submitted
to the supreme test of patriotism, for
those who inspired the constitution of
the United States were the same who
had pledged their lives, their proper.
ties and their sacred honor to the
cause Of Independence.
While the primary object Of a writ
len constitution is to define govern.
mental powers, and to limit govern.
mental departments, the overwhelm.
ing necessity for such an instrument
Ia to prevent insidious encroachments
upon the rights of the individual citi-
zen. both from those in ONCE and
from those who by reason of their
wealth and power have an influence
fart taSeater than that possessed by the
average citizen. And so the constitu-
tion OF the United States was regarded
by It's fraMAIs as an instrument OF the
most sacred import, an alteration of
which could only be made by the peo-
Dle themselves in whom all ultimate