The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1914-09-24
Shall We Not Heed the WARNING Voice
of History?

was TO be found of the spirit of
ancient institutions, the system by
which every citizen shared in the
government being thrown aside" Ii
not human nature the same today
as 1t was in SO A. u. when Tacitus
pronounced his simple and eloquent
funeral Grafton over the downfall OF
Republican Rome. Hisotry repeats
itself and coming evnets cast their
shadows before. VIM. jennings
Bryan has detained eloquently a
galnst the dangers of Imperialism.
only tyrannous moral sense such
as that possessed by Washington
or Lincoln could restrain a Presi-
dent under given conditions from
overstepping the bounds of execu-
tive authority dictated by prudence
and patriotism. No one will deny,
indeed has any wish to deny, that
woodrow Wilson is inspired by a
sure OF the beneficence and infalli-
the welfare of the country at heart
but he appears to be obsessed with
the idea that he alone is capable of
exercising the prerogatives of or
ganiZed society. A man of trans
~~o>AAe aoiiltyy ueteTul-
ination. and aGparetly SO absolutely
sure of the beneficnece and infalli-
bility of his legislative scheme that
he is justified in adopting the
Jesuitic doctrine. that the end just
lilies the means in order to write
his legislative program into the Or
ganic law of the land. Law the
enactment of which is secured by
coercion, no matter what form 1t
may take is destructive of the very
purpose for which law is enacted,
that Is to represent the will and
authority Of the people. No law
should be inspired ky fear of pun
ishment or hope of reward. Wood
row Wilson is to all intents and
purposes the Democratic party. So
overwhelming is his influence be-
cause of the lofty position he oc-
cupies. because he Is immensely pop
alar with the country and thus
holds the fortunes of his party in
his hands, and finally because of
the tremendous leverage which pat
rOnage gives him, his will is practi-
cally irresistible. Either legislative
or judicial legislation is maladmin-
istration. We want neither govern
ment by Injunction or usurpation.
We want no subservient Duma hay
ing the shadow without the sub
stance of legislative authority, hav-
ing the form of a Democracy and
the spirit of an autOcracy. Such
an invasion of the Legislative domain
is alike demoralizing to both par
ties to the transaction. Whether the
laws passed. be founded on sound
OF false economic principles. the
legislators with the exception of
little group Underwood. Clark,
Fitzgerald, O'GOrman ct all which
maintained its legislative independ-
ence must be absolved from guilt
in connection Herewith.
Their responsibility and guilt
lies in their .abject and cowardly
surrender (fOr thirty pieces of sill
yer, the price of betrayal of their
countrymen), of the powers and
privileges which the Constitution be-
slows upon them and their un-
patriotic and indefensible erasion of
the duties which they have sworn
under the constitution to perform.
Abdication df legislative response
bbility can only result in base SER
Witty. and loss of self respect. 1t
may be considered lese majestic on
the part of an humble citizen pa
triot to call in question the ad-
ministrative acts of the chief mag
istrate of the Nation. With the
warning voices of History in my
ears and the vital and paramount
necessity of preserving our legisla-
tive independence unimpaired,
cannot refrain from calling atten-
ton to this incipient danger. In
justification of not only my right
but my duty to make courteous
appraisal of Presidential acts, l a
gain quote Grover Cleveland in his
first inaugural address. He who
takes the oath today to preserve.
protect and defend the Constitution
of the United States only assumes
the solemn obligation which every
patriotic citizen ON the farm. i'll
the work shop, in the busy marts
of trade and everywhere should
share with him. The constitution
which prescribes his oath. my
countrymen. is yours; the govern
UlCul you Jaw ShoSCh hAAA ~ az
minister for time Is yours; the
suffrage which executes the will
of the free man is yours; the laws
and the entire scheme of our civil
rule from the town meeting to the
state and national capital; your
every voter as surely as your chief
magistrate, under the same high
sanction exercises public trust.
Nor is this all. EVERY CITIZEN
OWES TO HIS COUNTRY A VIGIL
LIANT WATCH AND CLOSE SCRU-
TINY OF ITS PUBLIC SERVANTS
AND A REASONABLE ESTIMATE
OF THEIR FIDELITY AND USE.
FULNESS. Thus is the people 4
will impressed upon the whole
framework of our civil polity, mu'
nicipal, state and federal. and this
Is the price of our liberty and the
inspiration of our faith in the re-
public" In the interest of govern
mental integrity whether as public
officials or as private citizens. we
should fearlesSly and jealousy