The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-01-28
lr. Taft Defend. the Constitution.


None of Mr.. Taft's utterances are
more cheering than those that he has
been making on his speaking tour
through the South regarding the Con
stitution Of the United States.
We have had great deal of impa-
thence expressed of late years with the
Constitution, its limitations, its checks
aud balances and its safeguards of liD-
erty. We have heard this impatience
not only from those rattle-brained agi-
tatcrs who, like the poor, are with us
always, but also from the high places
oe the nation-from men who, because
o. their public trusts, wee assumed to
know better
hence 1t Is particularly pleasing to
fird that Mr.. Taft does not share this
impatience. For instance, Mr.. Taft de-
scribed us the other day as 1.-The most
conservative people in the world, be-
cause we know a good thing when we
see it, and propose to keep it''-namely
the Constitution.
He also expressed the opinion that
Americans do not anywhere wish to
destroy their government or so change
it as to make it different from that
which our forefathers contemplated in
the formation and maintenance of the
Constitution
In this Mr.. Taft is entirely correct
Sane and sober Americans, realizing
what their country is and stands for
certainly do not wish to change their
form Of government. They know that
despite all the theoretical criticisms
and practical difficulties, that govern
ment has worked we'll
They know that with and under the
institutions established and safeguard
people have attained not only great
national strength but higher average
of Individual well-being than any other
people in the annals of history.
Few such Americans are willing even
TO admit, with Mr.. Taft, that some
times the Constitution stands in the
way of direct effectiveness" They find
the national government, created by
the Constitution, amply effective in the
field which belongs TO it. They OBJ
serve that the complaints OF inefiiciency
come chiefly from persons who wish
to put the national government into
fields which do not belong to it, and
to invest it with powers which, for the
sake OF liberty, are reserved to the
several States and to the people.
Such Americans hold that any efrec-
tileneSs which must be obtained by a
violation of constitutional limitations
would be too dearly bought, since the
price would be the loss OF liberty. b IT
they do agree with Mr.. Taft when he
says:
And yet that Constitution. simple. clear
and comprehensive, has In the past been
capable Of such fair construction as to meet
In a marvellous way the development and
emergencies of our country. which could not
have been anticipated in any detail at all
by those who framed it; and | am very
certain that the same Constitution will
meet the emergencies that may come in the
future.
To these words from Mr. Taft cve-y
loyal American viii say Amen" We
know not yet what sort OF President
Mr.. Taft will be-or at least not very
cieariy-except that he has shown him
sell capable of being his own master
and not a mere echo.
But it is cheering to all loyal Ameri-
cans to be assured that Mr.. Taft goes
into Office with respect for The Consti-
t'Ition-with loyalty to it-and with
the conviction that in o5alicEce to X
all national emergencies may be met
and all questions answered. in the .u-
tare as in the past-Chicago Inter
Opaon