Sharp County record., 1908-04-24
JOHNSON At SHILOH
MINNESOTA EXECUTIVE MAKES
NOTABLE ADDRESS
QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS
Does Not Approve Of Commonwealth
Being Made SubserVient to In
ferior Federal Courts-Would
Uphold Constitution.

Uphold Constitution.
Gov. John A. Johnson Of Minnesota
delivered at the dedication of the Min
nesOta monument on Shiloh battle
field, April TO- an address that will
rank as one of the ablest public de-
liyerances 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-
caly makes the state governments
subservient to the inferior federal
courts The significance Of these de-
clsions is widely understood, and they
have given rise to general discus
sion of the question Of the rights Of
the states, and Gov. Johnson's speech
will rank as an important contribu-
tory address In part follows:
Representing the people Of the COM
monwealth of Minnesota, we are as
sembled on one Of the historic battle
fields 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 united ma
tion. Their sacrifice was not for per-
sonal gain, but was in response to
duty, and a contribution to the CIV
illzation Of the age, and for the pur-
pose of perpetuating the institution Of
human liberty
appreciate that nothing which I
can say will add to or detract from
the glory of their achievement, which
in itself Is an enduring monument to
the patriotism and herolsm OF the
American soldier Their sacrifice,
however, was not different from that
which has been made throughout all
of the ages by those lovers Of liberty
who believe in a government which
might give to all the people the right
to ufe,, liberty and property. The
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, It
found It's highest expression in the
older countries in the great English
charter Of civil rights, which forever
J guaranteed to the people Of that land
immunity from the despotism of those
who claimed to rule by virtue OF Di'
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 tho 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
trlots of all the ages, Tho men who
, built the foundations OF this govern
mont 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 writ
ten constitution Is TO define govern
: mental powers, and to limit govern
/ mental departments, the overwhelm
na necessity for such an instrument
Ia to prevent insldous encroachmontf
upon the rights Of the individual cltl
! zen both from those In Office and
from those who by reason Of thelI
wealth and power have an influence
far greater than that possessed by the
! average citizen, And 40 the constltu
tlon of the United States was regarded
by TIA trainers no an instrument OF the
most sacred import an alteration oI
which could only be made by the peo
pie themselves IN whom all ultimate
power Ia vested, aud then only after
tho fullest discussion aud widest pub
llclty,
Under the bonencent government &c
established the nation hOs pro9pered
and the people are happy One great
cloud came upon the nation IN the
, form Of m awful cyll war, IN which
two sections Of the country wore In
, conflict with each other The heroes
who rest here gave thoir lives that
this nation might be maintained AZ Il
came from our foretalhcra on another
battlefield Of that war, Abraham Lin,
coin said! "lt ls for M, the living,
: rather, to he dedicated TO the m-
, finished work they have thus far 40
, hobly carried on II is rather for VA
to be here dedicated to the great task
remaining before us that from these
honored dead we take increased deyo.
ton for that cause for which they hero