Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-08-27
AN ABLE ADDRESS
G. A. Meyer Before the County Su-
pervisors' State Meeting.


At the recent State convention of
the County Supervisors of the state at
Burlington, G. A. Meyer of Calmar.
the Democratic Congressional nominee
in this district, who is one of the
prominent members Of the Association,
was on their program for an address
which the Burlington Daily Gazette
refers to as follows:
"The next number on the program
was a very able speech by MIR. G. A.
Meyer Of Winnshiek county, who is
the democratic congressional candidate
from his district and stands splendid
show of attaining seat in the house.
Mr.. Meyer is man of fine ideals and
is competent of expressing his ideas in
q clear and forceful manner. His
speech contained many commendable
utterances and these speak for their
author with credit
The Gazette also publishes bis ad-
dress, concerning History and Pur-
poses of the Organic alton, in part as
follows:
''In the matter of history, the record
of our secretary in detail will furnish
such as is ordinarily understood as
history. But the history as had it in
mind deals with this question. Have
we, and are we fulfilling the mission
that we should as an organization?
Are we getting the systematic team
work from our members that is the
requisite of success? In the five years
that have been a member, giving
much time and thought to the work, it
seems to me that our progress has been
slow.
In the matter of laws, what is laws?
The supreme court Of the United
States has defined the laws of state
to be 'The rules and enactments of the
legislative authority thereof, or the
long established local customs having
the force of law" 1t goes on further
to say of their application that ut is a
Fundamental principle in our govern
ment that no individual, whether in or
out of office, is above the law" In
this our safety consists.
Under our present system we are
continually confused with laws insult
able to the people governed thereby y
laws primarily enacted in the interest
of the few with the assurance that
they eventually will benefit the
amany. In other words, building from
the top instead of from the bottom,
putting the cart before the horse, an
un American way, to my mind, and one
that will never bring US nearer exact
justice and equity so long as the ele'
ment of human selfishness exists. We
find each season of the legislature
crowded with the lobbyists of the pro-
fessions and other private interests,
with the public belplessly standing by
praying that their interests will be
looked after but unable to offer,
through proper channels, suggestions
based on their actual needs. The legal
profession has long recognized the fact
that systems of la W, such as have been
attemp ted by legislative bodies or COM
missions, which are not based on pre-
viously existing laws and the customs
of the times, are invariably failures.
The constitution of the u. S. although
it created new form Of government
proved success because the underly-
ing principles contained therein were
with hardly an exception principles
with which the people of the various
states were already familiar. We must
therefore recognize that laws that are
to be beneficial must be the outgrowth
of the gradual growth and evolution.