The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-03-09

4
copied by all the peoples Of the earth
40 they have advanced In liberty since
that day. and that contribution was
the system of representative govern
ment When our fathers met in Phil
adelphia and undertook the serious
business Of sitting out Of all the ex-
periences Of man a governmental sys.
tenn that would secure the blessings
Of liberty to them and to their pos
terity, they preferred this one and
wrote 1t into the Constitution and
hedged 1t about with such limitations
as to make its amendment practically
impossible except by revolution. Since
that day all the -liberty-seeking peo-
pies of the earth have sought to
copy It, The story of its success is
told wherever men gather around
their hearthstones and talk liberty.
"A few years ago a delegation of
Congressman were sent abroad upon
public mission. One evening they
attended popular gathering just
within the Russian border. It was
an occasion of great importance in
that couDtry-a sort Of national holi.
day. A military band sat in the pc
vilion and played the national airs
of the country. At last, out of COM
pliment to the American represent
atives present, they played Hail
Columbia, Happy Land. Instantly the
peasants, who had heretofore stood
off in the distance, began to draw
near and applaud. 1t was not the
music that appealed to them; as a
musical production it wasn't equal to
the others. but 1t told its story even
in that far land, and those oppressed
people gathered about the stand and
encored. not once, but twice, and yet
again, inspired by the hope. that may
be in the fullness of Gods province
the light Of liberty, which blessed
that far off Happy Land might some
day. somewhere, somehow, illumine
the political darkness of their own
unhappy valleys.
Representative government was
evolved out of the theory that SOW
ereignty is, and of right ought to be,
in the people, and that the people,
endowed with sufficient intelligence
and with sufficient patriotism to Sc
,ect out OF their number representa-
tives who will honestly and faithful
" perform all OF the functions OF
government. How is that done under
our Constitution? Let us trace for in
stance, the genesis OF statute
in the first place, the peeps are
divided into districts according TO
population. They select from among
their number man in whose integ-
rity and ability they have confidence
He repairs to the seat of government
With the other representatives sim
ilarly chosen organizes the Legis-
atUie by selecting presiding officer
ldopting rules of procedure. and di-
viding the membership into small
groups or committees, each with it's
particular jurisdiction prescribed.
rhe Member introduces bill; 1t is
deferred to the proper committee for
examination and report. This com
nittee then summon before them
those who are familiar with the sub
iect matter, and after hearing all who
lesire to be heard on the subject,
Doth for and against, subcommittee
IS appointed to whip it into proper
torm and verbiage. The full commit
ice then reports the measure to the
House, when 1t is read by sections,
debated, amended, and passed 1t is
then sent to the other Chamber-be.
cause under our system of govern.
nent two Chambers are as much a
tradition as trial by jury--where it
gors through similar process. If there
are changes made by the other House
committees of conference are APP
pointed by the two Chambers and the
differences are discussed and an
agreement reached, and then both
Chambers take up the bill as amend.
ed, and after further discussion pass
1t and send it to the Executive for
his approval, But even after all the
relentless scrutiny to which the bill
has thus been subjected it some
times happens that its provisions
run counter to the fundamental prin-
ciples which are written into the
Constitution, and so the law may be
questioned by any person whose
riu L.