The Washington times., 1908-04-10
Minnesota Executive Prin-
ciPal Speaker at Ten
neSSee Dedication.
Tells Of Dangers Of Federal
Intrusion on State
Rights.

SHILOH, Tenn, April IA plea for
state self-gOy eminent and a protest
against the Roosevelt idea Of centraIiza-
doh WIS the keynote of the first public
| address delivered by Governor John A
/ job lson, o. Minnesota, since he came
I into the pubuc eye as q candidate for
! tEe Democratic nomins ton for Press
den
$50 scasi2l.y ssas re lsllsesssra = gsss
( laoa1n-eii< az SilIoh sfacteI by the
state OF Minnesota in onor OF the sol
oiecs OF the state who fell in battle
there.
Tribute TO the soldier dead was paid in
Z graceful terms. and then turning TO
+ what was developed as the text OF the
address. Governor Johnson said:
B In this hour when n ere seems 20 be
I a disposition 10 depart from established
forms, when there seems to be a desire
( on the part Of those IN authors.y 20
i abide IL central bur saucrat. sather
/ than IN a representative democracy. II
l becomes you and me 70 protest AGAINST
/ any departure whatsoever from the GOV
/ ernment. which came 10 rs from he
constitutional convention OF 177s and
those amendments which have been
made 70 It BY specific viii OF the people.
Protect Citizens Rights.
While the primary object of a writ
/ ten constitution is 10 define government
Al powers. and 70 limit governmental
I departments. the overwhelming neces-
/ slty Tor such an instrument is 10 pre-
1 vent lnSlQiOus encrOaChments upon the
rlShts OF the Individual citizen betn
! from those In Office and from thoss
/ uno b. reason Of their wealth and
( than that possessed by the average
citizen. And so the Constitution OF the
united states was regarded by it's
trainers as an instrument OF the most
2 sacred Importance, an alteration OF
I which only could be made by the peo-
I pie themselves, ia whom al ultimate
! power IS vested, and then only after the
/ fullest discussion and widest publicity
Under our system Of government
the nation has reached a material de-
I velopment hitherto unknown. Bur with
the Development Of the country and
changes. in economic conditions ard
! particularly with the growth OF great
/ private corporations, performing many
of the functions OF government mas
come the necessity for the exercise Of
strict governmental control and a rigid
/ enforcement Of all the laws enact ed 10
restrain the rich and powerfUi from
eucrOaching upon the natural and legal
rights of the poor and weak
Our Government IS divided frto
three separate and distinct co-0rdinate
bTanches-the legislative. executive and
the judicial Danger viii surely come
TO this Republic when any of these de-
partmeuts Of government attempt to
Usurp the functions Of the o-her.
Federal Supervision.
Very recently there has come from
! the highest judicial tribunal in the land
1 a decision OF vital interest and con-
cern to the American people because
( it has established a principle, as st4ted
by one member Of the court, which
would work a radical change in our
governmental system and would inau-
gurate q new era in the American ju-
dicial system and in the relations Of
the National and State governments. II
would enable the subordinate Federal
courts 10 supervise and control the Of
ficial action Of the States as though
they were dependencies or provinces.
L would place the States Of the Union
in a condition of inferiOritv never
dreamed Of when the Constitution was
adopted or when the Eleventh Amend
ment was made part Of the supreme
law OF the land
"If this is the result of this decision.
It is t0 n.y mind, one of th-. unhappy
incidents IN the history Of our Republic
| because the very theory Of our Govern
ment IS based upon the right OF the
States 20 control absolutely their own
domestic affairs.
s-yVIlau This Government needs is nos
more power What II ne 2ds TODAY is
to distribute the privileges under the
! Government so that all citizens wifi
have equal opportunity. America has
been called the land OF opportunity But
American opportunity should not mean
a granting of such privileges TO any
class. should afford alike thc means
for culture, education, prosperity, and
! contentmeat.