The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-03-29

have been trying to save American
women and children from destruction
In American industry have been the
courts. That is the Judgment OF d.
most all the social workers ! know
and OF dozens OF parish priests and
clergymen and Of every executive ana
legislator who has been seriously at
tempting TO use the government as an
agency for social and industrial bet
terment. What Is the result OF THIS
system of judicial notification? It
was accurately stated by the courr
81 appeals, New York. in the employ
7--' 'iab.Ii.- c--a, --h2re f. NC carr
nd .~I--i7.', G,e,7r7,l tNot ~
re -.n.!c7 car .r-puUIt2n G5:'rDm
are less Tree to correct Inc evils
Cypress them than are the people
the monarchies of Europe. To
man with vision, to any man
broad and real social sympathies
any man who believes with all
heart in this great democratic
public of ours, such condition IL
tolerable. 1t is not government by the
people, but mere sham government IN
which the will OF the people is con-
gtantly defeated. 1t is out Of this ex-
perlence that my remedy has come,
and let it be tried in this field.
When as the result Of years OF edu-
cation and debate majority OF the
people have decided upon a remedy
for an evil from which they suffer
and have chosen legislature, legis-
lature pledged to embody that remedy
in law, and the law has been finally
passed and approved. l regard it as
monstrous that a bench of judges
shall then say to the people: You
must begin all over again. First,
amend your constitution (Which will
take four years.; second, secure the
passage of new law (Which will take
two years more); third. carry that
new law over its weary course OF liti-
CATION, which will take no human be-
ing knows how long; fourth, submit
the whole matter over again to the
very same judges who have rendered
the decision to which YOU object.
Then. II your patience holds out and
jority of the people may have it's way"
Such a system Is not popular govern
ment, but a mere mockery of popular
government.
The decisions of which we complain
are, as a rule, based upon the con-
stitutional provision that no person
shall be deprived of life, liberty or
property without due process Of law.
The terms life. liberty and property"
have been used in the constitutions
of the English speaking people since
Magma Charta. Until within the last
sixty years they were treated as hav-
ing specific meanings-"property"
means tangible property; Liberty"
meant freedom from personal re-
straint, or in other words, from i'm
prisonment in its largest definition.
About 1870 our courts began to attach
to these terms new meaning. Now
property" has come to mean every
right OF value which person could
enjoy. and liberty" has been made
to include the right to make contracts.
AS a result, when the state limits the
hours for which women may labor, it
Is told by the courts that this law de-
prives them of their liberty" and
when 1t restricts the manufacture of
tobacco in tenement it is told that
the law deprives the landlord of his
property. Now, I do not believe that
any people, and especially our free
American 7eople, will long consent
that the term liberty" shall be de-
fined for them by bench of judges.
Every people has defined that term
for itself in the course of its develop
ment.
The Task Is To Strive For Justice. |
Friends, our task as Americans is
to strive for social and industrial just
Ice, achieved through the genuine rule
OF the people. This is our end, our
purpose. The methods for achieving
the end are merely expedients to be
finally accepted or rejected according
as actual experience shows that they
work we'll or i'll. But, In our hearts
We must have this lofty purpose, and
we must strive for l. In all earnest
ness and sincerity or our work will
come to nothing. In order to succeed
we need leaders of inspired idealism,
leaders to whom are granted great
visions. who dream greatly and strive
% make their dreams come true, who
IAN kindle the people with the fire
rom their own burning souls. The
eader. for tho time being, whoever
,e may be. 10 but an instrument to be
lsed until broken and then to be cast
lside. and II he Is worth his salt he
will care no more when he Is broken
han q soldier cares when he is sent
where his life 10 forfeited In order
hat the victory may be won. In the
ong night for righteousness the watch
word for all Of US is spend and be
spent. It Is of little matter whether
any one man fails or succeeds, but
the cause shall not fail, for it is the
cause Of mankind. We, here in Amer
lea, hold In our hands the hope of the
world, the fate Of the coming years.
and shame and disgrace will be ours
II. In our eyes. the light of high re-
solve 10 dimmed, II we trail In the dust
the golden hopes Of men, II, on this
new continent, we merely build an.
other country Of great but unjustly