Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-04-17
Gov. johnson on States Rights.

The monument erected by the State o
Minnesota in the National Park at Shiloh
Tenn, to the memory Of the Minnesota sol
diers who fell on that battlefield was dedi
Gated on Friday last. Gov. johnson mad'
long address, In the course Of which he
assailed the recent decision Of the Supreme
Court in the railway rate case. Gov. john
son said in part:
"In this hour, when there seems to be a
disposition to depart from the established
forms, when there seems to be desire upon
the part Of those in authority to abide In a
central bureaucracy, rather than in repre-
sentative democracy, it becomes you and me
to protest against any departure whatsoever
from the government which came to us nom
the constitutional convention Of 1887, and
those amendments which have been made to
1t by specific will of the people.
"The marvellous foresight of our fathers OF
this country in framing the Constitution Of
the United States is shown by the fact that
red in industrial and economic conditions,
| in spite of the unexpected expansions Of the
country, the Constitution has been found
sufficiently flexible to meet every emergency
which has arisen. Let US remember this, for
the danger of to-day 10 that the American
people may be lulled into a false security,
and, yielding to the demands of selfish inter-
ests, permit the breaking down Of constitu-
tional provisions, un Ter which the American
people have attained this wonderful degree Of
material prosperity and have yet maintained
the individual liberty Of the citizen.
"Our government is divided into three sep
arate and distinct coordinate branches-the
legislative, executive and Judicial. Danger
will surely come to this republic when any
Of these departments of government attempt
In the slightest degree to usurp the functions
OF the other and while now and then II may
be that court of the land In constituting the
Constitution may nullify section OF It, |
have the faith to feel that the people Of the
country will rise above the fallibility Of
judicial tribunals and assert and preserve
their own rights.
"Our duty Is not to criticise the executive,
the legislative, or the judiciary. Our duty
Is to recognize the majesty Of the law when
enacted by the legislature; to abide by and
with the honest execution and administra-
ton Of the laws when 80 enacted, and 10 re-
spect. even though wrong, the opinions Of
the courts Of the land, because when respect
for these institution .is gone then the very
framework of our government Is bound TO
crumble and decay. But having thus given
our acquiescence to the voice OF authority,
II, in the opinion Of the people, the action
taken 10 one which should not be exercised
by that particular department, IL 10 our in
alienable right to so further limit it's power
as to prevent the recurrence of the error.
every recently there has come from the
highest tribunal in the land decision of vi
tai interest and concern to the American peo-
pie, because 1t has established principle, as
stated by one member OF the court, which
would work radical change in our govern
mental system and would inauguraie a new
era in the American judicial system and In
the relations Of the national and State gov
ernments. II would enable the subordinate
Federal courts to supervise and control the
official action of the States as though they
we're dependencies or provinces.
ut would place the States Of the Union in
a condition OF inferiorty never dreamed of
when the eleventh. amendment was made
part Of the supreme law of the land. If this
is the result Of this decision, 1t is, 10 my
mind, one Of the unhappy incidents in the
history Of our republic, because the very
theory of our government 10 based upon the
right Of the States to control absolutely their
own domestic affairs.
III then, our whole system OF government
is changed, have we not only retarded the
progress OF the republic, but have we not
gone back century toward centralized
torn of government which Is not to the ad-
vantage Of the people2 What this govern
ment needs is not more power. What II
needs to-day 10 to so distribute the privi-
leges under the government 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,
prosperity, and contentment.''