Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-09-17

rlember Of the national congress, but
even the states could not contro! the
Leople within them and when the
state courts in their efforts 70 admin
ister Justice, sought to protect the mi
lority, the majority through their leg
1slatures suspended that term OF court
or turned judges out OF ottics Ell
tirely.
Such conditions as these, according
to Nj. Ford, showed conclusively to
the people the necessity of consti-
tuition and so nNl.s7. after trying un.
successfully for several years to es-
tabIish harmonious nation under the
articles of confederation, 81 body of
tie most earnes, ard experienced men
gathered in Philadelphia and set about
the task of framing a new national
sovsrnme emit"
Many of tho members of ths con-
vcnton had been sufferers BY the OPP
rrcssive state laws, and their Hnpleas-
ant experiences gave them strong
ideas in the matter Of government.
Mary of those wno few y snls be-
IRE had been III favor of pure de-
1rocracy were now in favor 81 4 rep
rcsentative form of government Mr..
Ford says, DREAD Of The people and
dread of democracy were fel by
all those who did not draw the dis.
ttn:tion between 20 ular control and
majority control, between limited and
unlimited goya.nmen.
This constitutional convention con-
vened in June, 1887, and was in ses-
sion several months. Many of its
members had for years been making
a study of the history of the govern
ments of the past. They had read all
the histories of governments that
were printed. The men who constitut-
ed that convention were not looking
both ways to see how they could land
the strongest in popular sentiment.
There was no possibility of reelection
to the body in which they were then
working. These men were trying to
establish government-trying to
frame a constitution under which a
great country and nation could be
builded. They threshed over for days
and weeks every question and phase
of government that the human mind
could conceive in that day or this.
The men who are advocating changes
In the constitution today haven't dis
covered thing that was not taken
UP in the regular work Of the con-
stitutional convention. They thrashed
over the initiative, referendum and
recall After taking the matter up
from all angles they decided practi-
cally unanimously against the direct
election of senators by the people.
They called attention to the fact that
the Articles Of Confederation, which
had failed in every particular, contain
ed a clause providing for the recall of
judges. This convention after months
of elaboration and study framed a
constitution that provides specific
features of a democracy and also spe-
cific features of a representative form
of government.
Congress was split into two bodies
that each might act as check on the
other, and strong executive and ju-
dicial departments were created,
armed against the legislative by the
once hated royal powers of appoint
ment, veto and annulment, that they
might maintain their independence of
the law-mak1ng branch, and even limit
its power. Having split the congress,
the lower branch was given to the
people, while the upper was given to
the state legislatures, thus opposing
a barrier to the will of the state
governments in the house and to the
will Of the people in the senate. Not
daring to trust either people or leg
islatures to choose a president, Sc
lect body of citizens was created, to
whom the choice of that official was
assigned, thus making second de-
fence from the populace or state leg
islatures. To the president was given
the appointment Of the judiciary, thus
emoving that department, by a second
selection, three degrees from popular
choice or influence"
~. ai-.
GOV. WILSON AND THE BAD BOYS