The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-26

man Henry D. Clayton addressed the oo- ciety of Alumni here this morning.
 Mr. Clayton said:
 AIr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen; One may count himself happy as l do, who enjoys the advantages afforded by this institution, my dear old alma ma ter and Avho hase the privilege of ad- dressing this audience representative of the people of every section of Ala bama This commencement is the Occa- sion for special felicitation on account Of the useful work of our university In the promotion of learning in our beloved commonwealth, It Is also proper time for congratulstion upon the remarkable general advancement of the cause of ed- ucation. and indeed. the exercises here, up to this good hour, incident to the closing of the scholastic year are, ia some sort a very opostrophe to the value of the development and discipline of in- tellectual qualities.
 Surely it can not be out of place now to invite consideration of some thoughts on political science as applied under our American system of goVernment, for amidst these classic surroundings 1t can not be inappropriate to acknowledge that the guiding and governing force of the cultured mind is an essential to the safe ty and happiness of organized society and indispensable to the furthep prog
 
 The influence of the educated people. the possessors of the cultured mind is accepted as a prime postnlate whenever and wherever the usefulness of the school room is under consideration. Just appreciation of the power of intellectual and refined men and women is happily in evidence everywhere and it speaks well for humanity that the disposition of such men and women is toward a bet ter study of civics. Especially is this true in our own republic, and among the people who are in the private walks Of life there is healthy oesre for bet ter understanding of all public or polti- cal questions. It is in harmony with the highest development of good citizenship that in the common schools of Alabama there is now taught the elementary principles of our civilized government. The fashion of the few to speak con temptuously of politics-and by this is meant the practical administration of government-meets the just condemnation of thoughtful people.
 Is Daily Business.
 With us government is the daily bus mess of the people and surely no sub jeet ought to be more engaging to the thoughtful citizen who desires to do his part in cooperation with his fellows in the high duty of popular rule, according to our established plan. pr. Arnold said
 
 est and highest concern of man.
 It can not be doubted that as long as the people take an interest in politics they will deserve to and will perpetuate free institutions and strive for that high CT ideal in civil affairs which was the hope of the fathers who achieved our independence, founded the states, and made this union of ours possible. The interests of the whole people are made up of the interests of the individual cit- izens and no man can rightfully escape his share in the duty to carry on our government. The good citizen is too busy with present problems to waste his time in uselessly lamenting mistakes commit ed in the past. and yet it is well for him to recall such mistakes in the light of the truth that history Is philosophy teaching by example" The pessimist is as useless in the administration of gov ernment as he is disagreeable in social intercourse. The exuberant optimst who dismisses every complaint against the abuse of governmental powers with Let well enough alone" cannot be the real de- fender of our free institutions. The ef- fort must always be in the practical ad- ministration of public affairs to bring our government toward the ideal conception of what it was designed to be under the established scheme. This Is the gospel of hope to be preached in behalf of good
 
 cording to the real sympathy for it's pur- poses possessed by those who administer 1t. In a government of laws and not of men it is essential to the life Of the gov ernment that there must ever be a whole some respect for it's spirit and purposes.
 It is well enough for the people on all occasions, using commercial expression, to take an inventory of their government business In doing this it is worse than foolish to shut the eyes to evil tenden- cies and to glorify the good in fervent and patriotic expressions, for it is of the last importance that evil tendencies be reviewed and evil accomplishments re- buked, to the end that government now and hereafter be rightly conducted, wrong be averted. and the true purposes of the government be effectuated.
 Some Encroachments.
 Now, let me. if you will, after brief reference to the establishment of self government in our country and as brief a consideration. of the fundamental prin- ciples upon which the dual system was founded, invite your attention especially to some of the encroachments by the fed eral government on the reserved rights of the states, the hurtful consequences, to conditions that threaten still graver dan gers, and to urge upon my fellow citi- zens to arouse public sentiment as the only. effective means to secure the price less heritage of local self-government We cannot forget that our free institu- tions were established by the consent of the governed. and they can never be de- stroyed except by the consent or indf- ference or acquiescence of the governed
 As eternal vigilance was the price paid for liberty attained, an abiding care on the part of the people for an administra- tion of government and it's purposes must be the unceasing libation pouring from patriotic hearts upon the altar of sus- tained liberty My countrymen, let us stand on the solid ground upon which our fathers builded and insist now and hereafter upon the observance of the line that separates the powers reserved to the states, respectively, to Alabama, as one of them, from the powers delegated to the federal union, and resist through lawful action and an aroused public sen- timent and an enlightened public con science all federal usurpations Am phion's music raised again the walls of Thebes, Let the voice of the people of the states of the union declare again the right of a state to conduct It's own gov ernment, armed under the law of the constitution against the insiduous en- croachments of centralized federal power
 Our dual scheme provides a federal or national power to protect the states and their people from alien aggression. to es- tablish freedom of commerce within the union, to assure domestic tranquility, and guarantee republican form of gov ernment in every state, and yet, again, to secure to the people the right of local self-government through the full exer- else of separate state autonomy. limited only by the enumerated powers granted to the federal government in the consti- tution, ratified by the states.
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