The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-06
CELEBRATED
INDEPENDENCE
Vermont Towns Had Pre-
tentious Programs for
the Fourth
JOHN GORDON SPOKE
TO ROCHESTER CROWD
East Bethel Had 4. Old-Fash-
Toned Celebration u
Interest

an old time Independence day celebra
ton were carried out to the letter ant
the sponsors for the days program fee
that it was a great success. In tho
morning salute of 10 guns was free
at o'clock in honor of the 10 orgina
states. The forenoon saw a crowd oil
some 1900 people gathering from towns
nearby and more remote parts of Wind.
sor county. There was an unusually
large number of automobiles.
John W. Gordon of Barre spoke from
an improvised stand on the common in
the afternoon. Mr.. Gordon's address
compelled the attention of large
throng. 1t was distinctly in line with
the modern trend of thought along ma
tional and political lines.
During the day there was music by
the band, field sports and many family
assemblies. In the afternoon the Roeh
ester town team was pitted against q
team representing nearby village. Al
might nearly the entire village was on
hand to dance or to watch the dancers
in the park, platform having been CON
strueted especially for that feature OF
the celebration A gorgeous display of
fireworks brought Rochester's observance
to close.
After calling attention to the saner
celebration of Independence day in later
4 years, Mr.. Gordon asserted there is great
"eed Of studying the marvellous dec
lsration of new nations birth" and
he added that "the need ia pressing in
this day when so many either long to
recross the sea where our deliverance
was the glorious triumph of the Lord
or to launch us upon the unsubstantiaI
cloud Of Socalistic dream
Continuing, the speaker said: ut is
strange paradox that the cry for funda
mental change should be so loud under
institutions under which four genera.
tions have enjoyed, as no other four
generations, life, liberty and the pur-
suit OF happiness. The changes that are
proposed are often mere visions. There
are people who seem TO lose the faculty |
of reasoning. From their premises they |
leap to false conclusions as lightly as |
bird fits from limb to limb. Il
The imagination never runs wilder than
in devices for the government of men
anu tiltn EEBHbhit IflhLlb
But il was not of this stamp that the |
trainers OF the United States constitu.
ton We're made. "They examined and
compared all the forms of government
that had existed. They borrowed freely
from the great charters OF England and
combined them with provisions from 9th.
err sources and added new features that
reason suggested until they had formed
a plan OF government declared TO be the
most wonderful ever struck off at one
time by the will and purpose Of men
We might add, the most wonderful that
man had achieved through all the cen
turtles Of struggle. Their innovations
were bold and some features had never
existed separately or in like combination
in any past plan of federated states"
Mr. Gordon called attention to one of
he greatest innovations, the separation
If government into three distinct de-
oartments OF the executive, judicial and I
legislative, scheme of government that
did not exist in the articles of confed-
,ration, that rope of sand that could not !
rave held the colonies together as long J
IS il did except for the pressure of the
COMMON danger"
Most notable in the innovation was e
he power given to the judiciary, in
which the supreme court was made "the ?
nal arbiter for the Interpretation and e
pplication of laws to persons and :
Kings. One of the great G
blessings that we have enjoyed has been s
he right of appeal to a learned, i'm i
artial and orderly tribunal for the pro- c,
ection of person and property. So un- y
uestioned has been the right, so harmo.
ious its exercise, that we have almost 3
'st the power of approaching its bene. u
ts r,
"A review of 1926 years reveals clearly "a
} us the wisdom of the fathers in es. D
Iblishing an independent judiciary. One :
the grievances against the king emu u
Grated in the Declaration of Independ- q
ice reads,-He has obstructed the ad- |
OF Justice by refusing his a
'sent to laws establishing judiciary eN
,wers He has made judges dependent IN
/ his will alone for the tenure of their as
Hoes and the amount and payment Of
leir salaries They made tenure de- &C
'ndent upon good behavior: removal oi
BON Impeachment before the Senate, ar
ID salaries irredueible during incum- ne
ncy. They then took the bold and Of
vel step Of making the court the final pa
bitter in the Interpretation and appli- IN
tion of laws. Such a power had there OF
fore been lodged with the Legislature De
king and had been frequently abused. a
our day we have seen instances OF lh'
oh abuse. In Russia, the czar has ar ~
trarily imprisoned the members of the VI
CHEST court Of Finland and in Mexico 'h
dictator has made judges the mere se'
ppets OF his will. t"'
we cannot pursue this subject fur ~,
er now, nor can we emphasize other W
DIVISIONS Of the constitution. The elo- sI'
inns that Il has received have been er'
served. Il has discredited all the fears ma
~ II excited and justified ell the hopes ios
which II gave birth. In the light Of ihI
st experiences many Of those fears en'
re not idle then. however grOundless re-
" mav appear now. The fear Of mill wo
" despofisu was 50 great that the eo'
MIXERS Of Congress remained seated hu
IN covered heads when Washington e1I
.ened the hall to surrender his com ha'
ssiou Of commander-in-chief in order Kan
emphasize the superiority Of the civil .
n the military power. To-day such GOO
duct would ~ considered disoouf
a.. or. II Ieast. a useless assertion of on