Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-06-07
OREGON'S GREAT need
G. N. McARTHUR'S ADDRESS ON
STATE CONSTITUTION.
Importance of Constitutional Conven.
tion Is Clearly Pointed Out
by Speaker.

At the last session of the Oregon
Legislature, bill authorizing Con-
stitutional Convention passed both
houses and was submitted to the peo-
Pile for their approval or rejection at
the general election to be held on NO
vember 9Th of this year. This bill calls
for a special election on the first Mon
day in June, 1911, at which time sixty
Constitutional Convention delegates
shall be chosen in the same manner
and from the same districts as repre-
sentatiyes in the Legislature. Accord
inc to the terms of the bill, the dele
gates so chosen are to meet at the
State Capitol on the second Monday
in October, 1911, for the purpose OF
making a general revision OF the Con-
stitution Of the State; delegates to the
convention are to be compensated IN
the sum of $5 per day for not more
than forty days, and, upon adjourn
ment, are to submit the proposed con
stitution to the people OF the STATE
for approval or rejection at specla
election to be held on the first Mon
day in April, 1912. The bill provides
that the Constitutional Conyona9i
shall prepare and submit to the peeo
pie of the State an address explain
ing the proposed constitution IN de
tail and that a copy of said address
together with a copy of said propose
constitution, shall be printed an
mailed to all voters of the State PRO
to the special election last above re
{ ferred to. -,
, The question of whether or not tn
: Constitutional Convention shall ;
, called is up to the electors OF the Stal
and it is my purpose at this time
a attempt to prove to you that the De-
t interests of our people demand an a
Y firmative vote on said question. wis
G II distinctly understood that DO n,
appear here as a representative OF u
g State administration, with which
: am connected, but rather as memb
Il of the Legislature that passed u
o pending bill. The motives OF the oen
r. tors and Representatives who supper
v ed the measure in question have be-
n impugned, and as | was one OF the pi
10 siding officers of the session, l feel
re- nv duty to deny the charges ma
d against my colleagues and myself.
p Federal Constitution Supreme.
III The wisdom and foresight OF I
fromors of our Federal Constitute
II was so great that the document whl
they prepared and submitted 70
various States has passed through
- wears of eventful history with OF
ID fifteen amendments, ten OF which w
embodied in the "Bill Of Right
IN adopted in 1871. If there is one eh
acteristic which the Federal Con-
fution possesses, it is strength. LII
the supreme law of the land, rec
. nizing the sovereignty of the peoI
49, and as the people cannot, IN their
y" 1a lective capacity, exercise the pow
.ne ne of government, a written eonstltul
a 40 is, bv general consent, agreed W
M III The Federal Constitution is the
ne :t wark of personal liberty, and
II strength of the government. Hat.
-'s heen drawn up in ambiguous
a. guage and made easy OF amendm
W our glorious Union would not be OF
\, III nving its present position among
1u- nowers of the earth, but would
AGO have been swallowed up ana
Gotten in the vortex of revolution.
zen zen Government rests upon the Cons'
n.y. tion: that document is supreme
binds the states; it restralns the
nlp. il controls Congress; it limits
power % of the Executive. All pc
which the people have consented
delegate is clearly defined IN the
:ur stitution. The people are the source
ing nower. but the people do not ad
lg. isier the government except thr'
their magistrates. Here we recoe
fhe broad distinction between a re
nd nd lie and a simply democracy. In I
n.y. nublic like our own where the II
'ere sentative principle is adopted the
ing nlo consent to commit the admin
TO tiou of public affairs to certain n
ans sentatiyes. in accordance with Tn
erai preme laws. In a democracy, sue
=, history exhibits as having eHisl'
tall ancient Greee, the people are
Oh government. Liberty, in such
meet e ALWAYS in danger; 1T has no
fern norts for its protection against
widest passion of the mnltituo
las been well said that the az
demoeracies in which the peopi
90 of liberated without constitutional
! of straint never possessed one featt
ants Good Government; their very el
4 to fer was tyranny, their figure wa
noon fo,mitv. The COnstitution-not
,roet temporary will of the majority
nm sUnreme law of the United STATE
,;oht more disastrous political con
mrs could not be imagined than u
I for which we should be exposed II I
straints which the constitution ID
held we're withdrawn. The wildne'
, an narty. the madness of fanatielsl
yam selashness of demagogy, AIDE
IS af powerful geographlSSa Gill; ',,a', :,
com would be brought to bear upon !
;slation of Congress. Against
evils we are protected by the
definition Of powers of the seye
. nartments of government WIN
steam 6nd in the great instrument wh
town lent % power guides and restrains
4 and Constitution has withstood the
This time. although popular will ha'
Manu- risen high against it. and the el'
e lat civil strife obseured its vision,
20 ex- Mr.. James Bryce, on page ~
Satur- 7 of his American COmmonWi
ilneI says: ....; -
roller tied States has rendered, and
nd the now inestimable services. II
labert- obstaeles to rash and hasty cha
secures time for deliberate
forces the people to think serol
- fore they alter it or pardon 2
ri''' : Ia. "a s,,sssion. II makes leglslatul
OF ~ stateSmen slow TO overpass I
'eg,ll-' e ~. rai powers, slow even to
4 MS ..e.srres which the Cons
stree, rec. seems to disappnove, Il tends
ms - he inevitable process Of Il
uarter' -, Gradual and tentative
IL of admitted and groWlnl
-, t,s.r sites rather than OF restles