The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-02-21
ENCOURAGEMENT MENACE.
Declared Senator Oliver of Pennsylvania
Before New England Women's
|. Press Association in Bos-

Boston, Feb. 2I-"In my opinion, one
of the great menaces OF our time lies in
the constant and increasing incursions
of the executive upon the legislative do
main.' Senator Oliver, Republican, of
Pennsylvania, told members of the New
England Women's Press association yes
terday, pleading for reasonable progress
s.eism is against reckless radical
ism -constitutionalism against socialism,
and anarchy"
Il am rejecting on no particular
party" Senator Oliver added, Each is
alike culpable. The abuse began under
President Roosevelt, was continued un-
der President Taft and the present ex-
ecutive has brought it to full maturity
in forcing his imperious will upon re-
luctant Congress"
Senator Oliver reviewed the progress
of the woman suffrage movement in this
country 1t was within the range of
proba bility, he said that women would
be granted suffrage throughout the
United States within 10 years, although
be thought no action would be taken by
Congress upon the pending constitutional
amendment.
please understand" he said, shat /
am not taking sides on this question.
merely mention these things to show
that the public mind is agitated upon it.
IL is likely that you women viii before
long have voice, perhaps the controlling
voice, in the decision of public ques-
tions; and it is with view of direct
ing your minds along the lines of right
thinking on such questions that ] ven
H.. - Ia Halt x.g -
reasonable progressivism as against ul-
innate socialism and anarchy. The lines
are being drawn between these two con-
tending ideas and the women of the
country may shortly be called upon to
take their stand upon one side or the
other.
"The constitution is document filed
with concessions and surrenders. The
right of making laws the people delegat-
ed to Congress, the duty of constituting
them to the judiciary, and the admins
trating of them to the executive-all OF
these rights and duties, however, to be
exercised within the limits prescribed in
the constitution itself.
at is now proposed by the advocates
OF the new democracy that the people in
a large measure should resume many of
the rights thus voluntarily surrendered.
They would have the laws enacted by
popular vote, instead of by representa-
tives chosen for that purpose, and, what
is of even greater import, they would
have the people constitute themselves
the court of last resort by reserying the
right to overturn any judicial decision
which in their momentary anger they
see fit to resent.
"But the all important concession in.
volved in the adoption of the constitu-
ton was the surrender by the people
themselves of the right of hasty action.
They had the power to alter the law
fundamental or otherwise-when and
how they pleased; but in adopting the
constitution they surrendered this right
so far as the fundamental law was con-
cerned and agreed to amend it only in
the manner prescribed in the instrument
itself
Il have great faith" he said, Gin the
common sense of the American people;
and when any question of Importance is
submitted to the Judgment of that COM
mon sense we can be reasonably sure of
right decision. The great difficulty is
to so arouse the people that they will
exercise their common sense. The peo-
pie may sometimes lend listening ear
to the demagogue and turn their backs
on the sage; but only give him time to
think and the arguments of the sage will
in the end prevail.
Constitutional limitations-the re-
strictions in the fundamental law of
both state and nation which force men
to act and lawmakers to legislate. with
in certain prescribed limits-are what
compel the people to think before they
act, and when they do act to have due
regard for the rights of each other. The
written constitution protects us alike
from the despot and the mob
tDiseard the written constitution, or
emasculate it, or allow it TO become a
dead thing in your hands, and the day
will surely come when property rights
win be no more regarded-when numeri-
cal might win make right and when they
who have not win by sheer force of
numbers take what they want from
them that have"