Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-15
Ambassador Lauds C0nstitu-
ton of United States.
HELD VITALIZING FORCE
Trainers Rendered Service to All
Mankind, He Says.
The Attorney General Entreats Ad-
vocates Of Amendments to Dwell
on Causes for Discomfort.

NEW YORK, December 14.-On the eve
| of his retirement from the post Of British
ambassador at Washington, which he has
occupied with distinction for six years,
James Bryce tonight paid an extraordinary
| tribute to the Constitution of the United
States.
The occasion was the annual dinner of
the Pennsylvania Society of New York.
Attorney General George w. Wicker
sham was POSTMASTER and delivered an
address, as did the ambassador. Other
speakers were United States Senator Will
liam E. Borah of Idaho and Job E.
Hedges. A message of congratulatfon to
the society from President Taft, was in
closed in each copy Of the souvenir of
the Constitution of the United States.
A feature of the dinner was the
presentation of gold medal to Mr..
Bryce. This medal was founded sew
for the purpose of providing special
distinction to any person whom the So
ciety particularly wished to honor.
Careful. as he explained. not to tres
pass upon the field of political con-
troversy, Mr.. Bryce discussed the prin-
ciples. aims and effect Of the funda-
mental instrument of government with
the frankness of an accepted student
of American affairs.
Af.er some remarks upon the place
of Pennsylvania in the history OF the
United States and the variety of races
which had gone to the building up Of
it's population, Mr.. Bryce addressed
himself to his subject as follows:
Work of Extraordinary Group.
1.-The Constitution was the work Of an
extraordinary group Of men such as has
seldom been seen living at the same time
in any country, and such as had never
been brought together in any other coun-
try to undertake the immensely difficult
task of framing a fundamental instru-
ment or government for nation. The
nation was then a small one. and 1t is
one Of the most striking tributes to the
genius and foresight of the men that that
frame of government which they design
ed for 100000 people should have proved
fitting to serve the needs of 93,OUO.OOO.
''The whole of your history since 1850
is record of the services which the Con-
stitution has rendered to you. 1t formed
anew, or at least it strengthened and de-
ve.oped. for the sentiment was fortu-
nate-y brought by your ancestors from
England. the habit of Difference to the
sense of the value of effecting everything
by strictly legal methods. which Is one
Of the finest attributes 0f D sfree pe0ple.
Strength Demonstrated.
''The strength of the Constitution and
the soundness Of the principles on which
1t was drawn was perhaps most cpnspicu-
Ously shown at and after your civil war.
1t went through the civil war unchanged
and the amendments that were passed
afterward to give effect to the civil war
were merely additions and did not alter
q single word that had stood in 1t before.
The difficulties OF reconstruction were
1Sv,x hon ,ol, x,,n
have been if the Constitution had not
been there to enable the state govern
ments to be replaced upon their old basis
so as to go on working in conformity
with the old doctrines and precedents!
''The Constitution again became q
rallying point for the whole people
and over all the states. when in 1876
its normal working was re-established
in the south.
Both the federal Constitution itself
and all those state constitutions which
have been enacted upon similar lines
have had the effect of steadying the
machinery Of government, Of slowing
down sudden impulses. of securing re-
spect for the rights of every man and
every section Of the people.
I'm particular you have shown tthe
world how 1t Is possible to reconcile ma
tiOnal unity with the existence Of local
self government in larger and in smaller
communities over the immense space of
a continent, a problem which a century
and q half ago every one would have
thought insoluble. Thus has the Consti-
tuition of the United States become by the
example of its working and the halo of
fame which now surrounds it one of the
vitaliZing forces of the world. Let us
honor the memory of the illustrious men
who rendered this incompatible and en-
during service, not only to you, but to all
mankind
Plea to Reformers.
George w. Wickersham. Attorney Cen
eral Of the United States, in discussing
the theory Of constitutional government
as applied to this country from the begin
ming to the present time. entreated re-
formers to consider carefully the causes
Of their discomfort and to ascertain
whether the evils may not be cured
without the destruction Of cherished in
stitutions."
''Constitution tinkering is the inevitable
result Of reducing constitutions to the
category of statutes," said Mr.. Wicker
of the Swiss institutions. such as the
initiative and referendum. the recall Of
officials by popular vote and other princi-
pies of like character.
Tendencies favored by what he termed
the new school OF political thought
cannot be ignored, he said. because too
many. people have given their adherence
in some degree to them"
Mr.. Wickersham dealt with the subject
of machine rule" in politics, which he
said was given the cause of evil by
one Of the principal exponents Of the
new movement back Of the demand for
the initiative, referendum, recall, impera-
tive mandate. direct election Of senators,
etc. He said:
'.All of the evils Of machine rule are
perfectly susceptible Of correction within
the scope of the Constitution. and without
altering its principles"