The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-07-03

our OBJECT SnOulu 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 grea3 private corporations.
performing many Of the functions of
governments. 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 its demo.
cratic conditions as to become only
tragedy and a tradition. Let us i'm.
piore the aid OF Him on high TO pre-.
serve us from the errors which ruined
kome, by the avoidance Of which
America may travel on TO that destiny
and realize that fulflliment 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 I'm the slightest degree
to usurp the functions OF the other
And while now and then IL may be
that court of the land, in constituting
the constitution, may nuilify 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 it not to criticise 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 it has established principle.
as stated by one member Of the court.
which would work a radical change
In our governmental system and would
inaugurate new era in the Ameri-
can judicial system and In the rela-
tious of the national and state gov
ernments II would enable the subor-
dinlte 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 a condition Of infer
iority never dreamed of when the con
sbtutioR was adopted or when the
eleventh amendment was made a 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 is based upon the right Of
the states to control absolutely their
own domestic affairs
II then. our whole system Of gov
eminent Is changed. have we not only
retarded the progress OF the republic,
but have we not gone back a century
toward centralized form of gov
ernment which is not 70 the adyan-
tage of the people? What this gov
ernmeht needs is not more power.
What it needs to-day is TO SO dis
tribute the privileges under the gov
ernment that all citizens will have
equal opportunity America has been
called the land OF opportunity. But
American opportunity should not
mean a granting of special privileges
TO any class, but should afford all alike
the means for culture, education, pros
perity and contentment
For nearly a century and half
America has presented to the world
the spectacle Of happy, prosperous
and intelligent people, maintaining a
pure democracy founded upon their
supreme will The hallmark Of de-
mocracy is that the powers OF gov
ernment are close To the people.
Throughout the world. wherever de-
mocraoy is advancing, its progress is
marked by q greater measure Of self
government TO each community. VIII
the American people turn TO the set,
ting rather than the rising sun? Shall
we now. because some laws are found
irksome by class and interfere with
their selfish aims, commence 70 de-
prlve our sovereign states of That
measure Of home rule which until now
they have seen ft to reserve TO them-
selves? cannot believe It. Upon
the contrary believe that the iimita.
tions upon state and federal govern
ments. the nice balancing Of the pow
ers Of each. and of the different de-
partments In each, which have been
so eflcaclous IN the past. will be
maintained in their full yigor in the
fnture