Sharp County record., 1908-04-24

false claims Of selfish interests, and
forgetting the American maxim that
our object should be to attain the
greatest good for the greatest number,
incur the penalty which other people
have paid, rather let us hold ever in
mind that those who framed our gov
ernment believed in the equality OF
the people and that the chief aim OF
government is to maintain that
equality.
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 a 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 and contracted by
executive administration until Rome
had so completely outgrown It's demo
cratic conditions as to become only
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 fulfllment which will
be the inspiration Of right-thinking
men Of all ages yet to come.
Our government Is divided into
three separate and distinct co-ordi-
nate branches the legislative, the
executive and the judicial. Danger
will surely come to this republic when
any Of these departments Of govern
ment attempt in the slightest degree
to usurp the functions Of the other.
And while now and then It may be
that court Of the land in constituting
| the constitution, may nullify a section
Of It, have the faith to feel that the peo-
pie Of the country will rise above the
fallibility Of judicial tribunals and
assert and preserve their own rights,
Our duty 1t not to criticse the execu-
tive, the Legislature or the judiciary.
Very recently there has come from
the highest judicial tribunal in the
land decision Of vital interest and
concern to the American people, be-
cause 1t has established a principle,
as stated BY one member OF the court,
which would work radical change
in our governmental system and would
lnaugurate q new era In the Ameri
can judicial system and In the rela'
tons of the national and state gov
ernments 1t would enable the subor'
dinate federal courts to supervise and
control the official action Of the states
as though they were dependencies or
provinces, It would place the states
Of the union in condition OF infer
iolity never dreamed Of when the con.
stltutior 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, Il
Is, to my mind one of the unhappy
Incidents In the history of our repub
lie, because the very theory of our
government In based upon the right OF
the states TO control absolutely their
own domestic affairs,
r. then, our whole system Of gov
ornmont is changed have we not only
retarded the progress OF the republic
but have we not gone back a century
toward o centralized form OF gov
ernment which IL not to the advan
tage Of the people2 What this gov
ernment needs Is not more power
What II needs to-day Ia to 80 dIs
tribute the privileges under the gov
ernment that all citizens viii have
equal opportunity, America has been
called the land Of opportunity But
American opportunity should not
mean q granting Of special privileges
to any class, but should afford all alike
the means for culture, education, proa
poHty and eontentment
For nearly century and q hall
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 a do
mooracy IN that the powers OF gov
ernment are close TO tho people
throughout the world, wherever do.
mocrncy is advancing, ts progress ID
marked by greater measure Of self
government to each community, VIII
the American people turn 10 the set.
ting rather than the reing SUM- Shall
we now, because some laws are found
lrNsome by class and Interfere with
their aolllsh aims, commence to do.