Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-09

number OF those who are citizens Of /
the nation and are the people from |
whom the government is maintained |
and whose rights and happiness the
government is intended to secure. |
More than this, government by unani- |
NOUS vote OF the electorate is i'm |
possible, and therefore the majority |
must rule. We find, therefore, that |
government by the people Is, under |
our present system, government by |
majority OF one fourth of those whose
rights and happiness are to be affected
by the course and condition OF the
government. This is the nearest to a
government by the whole people we
have ever had
Womzn's Suffrage Coming.
woman's suffrage will change this,
and it is doubtless coming as soon as
the electorate can be certain that most
women desire it and will assume it's
burden and responsibility. But even
then the electorate will only be part
of the whole people. In other words,
the electorate is representative gov
erning body for the whole people for
D
ed, and the controlling majority OF
the electorate is body still less num-
erous. It is thus apparent that ours
is government OF all the people by a
representative part OF the people. Now
the object Of the government is not
only to secure the greatest good to
the greatest number, but also to do
this as near as may be by securing
the rights OF each individual in his
liberty, property and pursuit Of hap
piness; hence it was long ago recog-
nized that the direct action Of a TEN
porary majority OF the existing cleo
torate must be limited by fundamen-
tai law-that is, by a constitution in
tended to protect the individual and
the minority Of the electorate and the
non-voting majority of the people
against the unjust or arbitrary action
OF the majority Of the electorate. This
made II necessary to introduce into
the constitution cevtain declarations
as to the rights OF the individual
which 1t was the purpose OF the whole
people TO maintain through the gov
eminent against the aggression Of any
temporary majority OF the electorate
and to provide in the same instrV-
|, ment certain procedure by which the
: individual might assert and vindicate
those rights than TO protest against
the momentary impulse Of temporary
, majority Of the electorate TO change
fundamental law and deprive the in
dividual or the voting minority or the
non-voting majority of inalienable
: rights. The constitution provided g
number Of checks and balances where
= by every amendment to the constitu
!, ton must be adopted under form!
and with delays that are intended t
secure much deliberation on the par
:. OF the electorate In adopting sucl
: amendments.
! Quotes from Daniel Webster.
r cannot state the necessity 70
d maintaining the checks and balance
in a constitution to secure the guar
anty OF individual rights and well or
n dered liberty better than by quotin
8 from Daniel Webster. He said:
Q The first object of free people
n the preservation, If only TO be pr'
y restraints and Just divisions Of poll
u ical power. Nothing is more decel
n tive or more dangerous that the pr
u tense of a desire TO simplify govern
u ment. The simplest governments al
! despotism, the next simplest Unite
81 monarchies, but all republics, all go
ernments OF law, must impose hume
GUS limitations and qualifications
.e authority and give many positive an
many qualified rights. In other word
they must be subject to rule and re
. ulation. This is the very essence
free political institutions. The spir
= of liberty is indeed a bold and fea
less spirit, but II is also a sharp-sigt
80 ed spirit. II is a cautious. sagaciou
discriminating, far-seeing intelligence
=, II is Jealous of encroachment, jealol
=. OF power, Jealous of man. II demant
- checks. II seeks for gourds. II
- sists on securities II entereth itst
:, behind strong defenses and FORTH
itself with all possible care again
the assaults and ambition OF passio
II does not trust the amiable wea
nesses OF human nature, and thel
fore II will not permit power to ovt
step its prescribed limits though I
nj nevolence, good intent and patriot
purposes come along with il. Meth
does II satisfy itself with fiashily al
temporary resistance to illegal aut
ority. Far otherwise. II seeks I
D" duration and permanence. II loo
before and after. and. building on {
experience Of ages which are past,
labors diligently for the benefit
ages TO come. This is the nature
constitutional liberty, and this Is O
liberty, II we will rightly understa
las and preserve IT,
&C. Every free government is necess
At fly complicated because all such &,
iod ernments establish restraints as W
,ed on the power OF government itself
of on that OF individuals. II we will ah
nj fish the distinction OF branches a
AK have but one branch, IL We will All
lk. ish Jury trials and leave II all TO I
ing Judge. II we will then ordain that
MS legislator himself be that Judge, a
IN n we will place the executive pow
ian in the same hands, We may readily s.
my pity government We may cas-
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