The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-11-05

This is a country governed by law
and not by man." asserted Justice
Bruce. The laws have not been made
by the legislatures, but In reality by
the courts, which in turn have been
influenced in their decisions by pub
lie sentiment and custom. But he at
tackled most vehemently a condition
in this country whereby a judge may
be afraid of rendering a decision on
a constitutional question, which might
not meet with popular favor. SO ne
believes that the great danger OF a
free government is where the people
fail to learn the truth about things.
and he asserted that In many cases
the people haye been given false IN
formation on important questions. He
cited the capitol commissions case as
an instance, telling that the people
would not have failed to return Judge
Fish to the bench if they had known
the facts in the case.
THE great problem of the Ameri-
| can government" he said, lis the dis.
| semination of the truth" -
Justice Bruce paid high tribute to
the system of trial by jury and attrib'
! uted to that and the advantages OF
the common school the ability Of the
American people to govern them.
selves.
ut is c~omradeship, after all" he as.
| serted, that make a people. Over In
| Europe people have been Waging war
| with each other for centuries, while
over here the same people are sitting
| side by side together and building up
a cosmopolitan nation"
General A. E. Williams Of Bismarck
presided at the old settlers meeting
in the afternoon, in honor of the thir-
ty-fourth birthday anniversary of the
organization of Mclean county. He
was introduced as chairman by Major
George l.. Robinson.
General Williams introduced the
bill at the territorial legislature OF
Yankton, which created Mclean coun.
ty. and he gave credit for such crea'
ton principally to John Satterlund. He
said that the efforts of the early legis-
lators were principally confined to ap'
Dealing to congress to grant lands to
railroads for extension work, the
building of military post roads. 1t was
purely constructive legislation and not
regulative, as now.
John s. Veeder, now asconductor OF
The Northern Pacific in Montana, told
If the early days when he came here
md took up a claim, on which a great
)art Of the city of Washburn now
stands. Herman Hanson of Turtle
Lake, former county auditor, told OF
he early trials, of settlers who had to
content themselves with dugouts and
iOd houses for homes Even log Gao.
n looked good, he said, in those days.
lie resented strongly the f%nsinuati0ns
'Oming from the east that North Da-
.Ota is not patriotic and he declared
hat the common people in the state
ire doing all they can to help the
government win the a I'VE will al.
Ways stand by the government" he
said. W.. sr..,sxr. g.
Judge G. P. Gibson of Washburn as
serted that it is the duty Of the pres
INT generation to continue the 'splen-
lid work begun by the pioneers. The
only regret he expressed about the
lew court house Is that it lacks In
ne modern improvement-a mort
gage. H.,
Senator C. w. McGray Of Under.
wood said that there is no Better state
n the union which offers a chance for
he poor man and he expressed the ut
most confidence that Mclean county
would give all 1t possibly could in men
md money in the effort of the United
States to make the world safe for
democracy"
Senator Aug. E. Johnson of Wash.
burn read q we'll prepared paper, full
)f inspiration, and paid a high trib.
tie to those who had contributed
ands and mind to the construction
| II the new courthouse.
Others who spoke were Anton Pc
.ersOn Of Washburn, former county
commissioner; Charles Huston of Tur.
lie Lake, John Reuter- Of bismarck
md Representative James Rice of
Mercer.
Chief Justice Bruce delivered anoth.
or, forceful address, at the close of
he afternoon session. Mclean coun.
~. he declared, has been built be.
:ause men have hope and faith.
Luncheon at moor was served by
he local chapter of the Red Cross