The Cairo bulletin., 1908-04-12

Under our system of government
the nation has reached a material de
yelopment hitherto unknown. The
people have prospered beyond The
dreams of those who lived century
ago, But with the development OF the
country and changes In economic con
ditions. and particularly with the
growth OF great private corporations
PERFORMING many of the functions OF
! government has come the necessity
for the exercise OF strict governmental
control, and rigid enforcement OF all
! the laws enacted to restrain the rich
and powerful from encroaching upon
/ the natural and legal rights OF the
! poor and weak
The constitution of the ancient re-
| public Of Rome. which for 500 years
| had recognized the voice OF the people
as supreme. was expanded by execu-
/ tive Interpretation aad contracted by
executive administration. until Rome
/ had so completely outgrown its demo-
cratic conditions as to become only
a tragedy and tradition Let us i'm
plore the aid of Him on high TO pre-
serve us from the errors which ruined
Rome. by the avoidance Of which
America may travel on to that destiny
and realize that fulillment which will
be the inspiration of right-thinking
men OF all ages yet TO come
Our government is divided into
,aatt, i.
nate branches the legislative, the
executive and the judicial Danger
viii surely come to this republic when
any Of these departments Of govern.
ment attempt In the slightest degree
TO usHrp the functions of the other.
And while now and then It may be
that court of the land In CONSTITUTING
me constitution. may nulify Il section
)f it, have the faith to feel that the ren-
Die Of the country will rise above the
fall!hlity Of judicial tribunals and
assert and preserve their own rights.
Our duty ii not To criticise the execa-
tive, the legislature or the judiciary
Very recently there has come from
the highest judicial tribunal in the
land a decision Of vital interest and
concern to the American people, be
cause it has established a principle.
as stated by one member of the court,
which would work a radical change
In our governmental system and would
new era IN the Ameri-
can judicial system and in the rela-
tons OF the national and state gov
arnments II would enable the subor-
din&te federal courts to supervise and
control the Official action of the states
rs though they were dependencies or
provinces. 1t would place the states
Y the union in condition Of infer
orlty never dreamed of when the con
5ututior was adopted or when the
eleventh amendment was made "A part
II The supreme law Of the land" II
his is the result of this decision. il |
s, to my mind, one of the unhappy 1
Incidents In the history of our repuh- |
&c, because the very theory Of our .
government is based upon the right of
he states to control absolutely their ,
'Nn domestic affairs.
II, then. our whole system Of gov
-rnment is changed. have We not only
etarded the progress OF the republic,
,ut have we not gone back a century
uWard centralized form of gov
rnment which Is not To the advan-
age of the people? What this gov
rnment needs is not more power.
What II needs to-day is to so dis
ribute the privileges under the gov
vnment that all citizens will have
quail opportunity America has been
allied the land Of opportunity BUT
american opportunity should not
mean a granting of special privileges
. any class, but should AFFORD all alike
he means for culture. education, pros
Gritty and contentment
For nearly a century and a half
america has presented to the world
he spectacle of a happy, prosperous
nd intelligent people. maintaining
ure democracy founded upon their
upreme will. The hallmark of a de-
aocracy is that the powers OF gov
rnment are close to the people.
the world, wherever de-
locracy is advancing. its progress is
larked by a greater measure Of self
oveTnment to each community. viii /
he American people turn to the set
ng rather than the rising sun? Shall /
70 now, because some laws are found /
'ksomc by class and interfere with
heir selfish aims. commence to de-
rive our sovereign states of that
leasure Of home rule which until now
ley have seen fit to reserve to them
elyes2 I cannot believe It. Upon
le contrary believe that the iimita
Ons upon state and federal govern
tents, the nice balancing OF the pow
rs of each. and of the different de-
artments In each, which have been
, efliCacious in the past. will be
iaintained in their full vigor in the s
iture. {
Therefore. discharging ali OF our
as citizens Of a coun- :
y, refusing To surrender our rights ,
citizenship in any degree. let US so
We that the heroism exemplified on
lis and other American battlefelds
ay not be simply a tradition. and
10 national wisdom of our fo-ofa /