The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-04-11

ADDRESS
CONTINUED from Page ~

(COHtlnueQ from Page IL
ment attempt in the slightest degree
to usurp the functions of the other.
And while now and then it may be.
that a court of the land, in constru-
ing the constitution, may nullify
section Of it, 1 have the faith to feel
that the people of the country will
rise above the falllbility of judicial
tribunals and assert and preserve
their own rights. Our duty is not to
criticise the executive, the legislature
or the Judiciary. Our duty is to recog-
nize the majesty of the law when en-
acted by the legislature, to abide by
and with the honest executive admin
istration Of the laws when 50 enacted,
and to respect, even though wrong,
the opinions Of the couSts Of the land,
because when respect for these insti-
tutions is gone, then the very frame
crumble and decay. But having thus
Egiven our acquiescence to the voice Of
authority, If in the opinion Of the peo-
pie the action taken lis one which
should not be exercised by that. parti-
cular department. it is our inalienable
right to SO further limit it's powers as
to prevent the recurrence Of the err
rOr.
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 in
the = relations of the national and
state governments. It would enable
the subordinate federal courts to SUI
pervise and control the official action
of the states as though they were de-
tendencies or. provinces. 1t would
place the states of the union in a con-
dition of inferiority never dreamed of
when the constitution was adopted or
when the eleventh amendment was.
made part Of the supreme law Of the
land" II this is the result Of this
decision it is, to my mind, one Of the
unhappy incidents in the history of
our republic, because the very theory
OF our government is based upon, the
right of the states to control absolute
~ their own domestic affairs. -.
III, then, our whole system of gov
eminent Is changed, have we not only
retarded the progress of the republic.
out nave we not gone back a century
toward a centralized form of govern
ment which Is not to the advantage Of
the people? What this government
needs 1s not more power. ri What it
needs today is to so distribute the
privileges under the government that
all citizens will have equal opportun
1ty. But American opportunity should
not mean granting Of special priv
leges to any class, but should afford
all alike the means for culture. edu,
cation, prosperity and contentment.
-For nearly a century and a half
America has presented to the world
the spectacle Of a happy prosperous
and Intelligent people, maintaining a
pure democracy founded upon their
supreme will. The hallmark OF demo-
cracy Is that the powers Of govern
ment are close to the people. Through
out the world. wherever democracy is
advancing, it's progress is marked by
greater measure Of self government
to each community. Will the Ameri-
can people turn to the setting rather
than to the rising sum- Shall we now,
because some laws are found irksome
by 2 class, and interfere with their
selfish aims, commerce to deprive our
sovereign states OF that measure Of
home rule which until now they have
seen TT TO reserve to themselves? Z /
cannot behave It. Upon the contrary
Ias believe that the limitation IN upon