Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-09-17
Birthday of Constitution
of United States Today; Some
Interesting Features GlUen

+ first purpose and duty OF govern
ment. Subject to the public interest
the individual must be free to live
and labor where n as he will. This
is the very essence of freedom under
the law.
In this provision of the Constitu-
ton also lies protection of every in
dividual in his right to possess and
enjoy private property, whether its
value Is large or small, whether 1t Is
in savings or securities, in n or
merchandise. Such possession and
enjoyment have always in America
been considered as rights inherent In
the nature of man. To protect all
men equally in their right to own
and freely use, subject only to the
public interest, the fruits of their
labor, their economy and their enter
prise, is a primary function of gov
ernment; and this our Constitution
recognizes and vows. The prosper
ity of the United States has been built
on this bedrock foundation, which
stimulates every citizen in u great
country, by toll and thrift to pro-
\ duce and acquire more, inc thus to
improve his condition.
Another great principle of our
Constitution is that of Representa-
tive Government. :,
1t is manifestly impossible for all
| OF the peOpl0 ptIhO0dAlJ " A@AC N
active part in the administration or
government. 1t, therefore, became
necessary to devise a system by which
every citizen would be afforded an
opportunity to be represented in the
government. In this way all citizens
have @ part In the making OF laws
through representatives accountable
to them for their actions.
But the people of the United States
: -rora alraaHu pffiZonS nf g~p1f-ROV9rn-
Ing States when the Constitution was
adopted. They had rights as citizens
of those States and, If they were to
be fully represented, it must be both
as individuals and as citizens of the
! States. Out of this consideration
grew the division of the Congress in
to q Senate and q House of Repre-
sentatives.
This representative system estab-
fishes a direct and continuing person.
al relation between the people and
their government. by which the will
of the majority can at all times be
expressed in legislative action. BY
The constitutional provision for fire.
uuent elections, their representatives
are from time to time made directly
responsible to the people whose SER
wants they are. .
The third fundamental principle of
| our GOHSLlIullOA 10 AC " S~
Powers of the Government.
This division into legislative, exec
utive and judicial powers Is to the
end that there shall be no one master
with sole power to make, define ana
execute the laws, but that there shall
be a system of checks and balances
to prevent the usurpation or undue
power by any branch of government,
and thus insure to every citizen equal
operation of just laws.
Under our Constitution laws are
made by Congress, interpreted by the
courts and enforced by the President;
and each of these departments OF the
government, though closely inter
related, operates independently.
This provision of our Constitution
for the division of. the powers of the
government has been one OF the pull
warks of our liberty. James Madi-
son, one of the authors Of the ON
stitution and afterwards President OF
the United States, says:
mo political truth Is of great
er intrinsic value . The ac-
cumulation of all powers, legis-
lative, executive and judiciary, in
the same hands, whether of one,
a few or many and whether
hereditary. self7appointed, or
elective, may justly be pro- ,
nounced the very definition OF
tyranny" -
! Such in brief are the ideals that
our fathers embodied in our frame
of government, and such are the BEN
e1ts thereby secured. Even in this
day of ~momentous social changes,
the American people are thoroughly
convinced that the underlying prin-
ciples of our Constitution are the
cornerstone of their liberties. They
realize that these basic principles are
not merely a plan chosen from among
several equally available plans and
suited to one age only, but that they
are enduring principles of human
Justice, drawn from the mora nature
of man as revealed in history.
Under our Constitution we as a
people have enjoyed a condition Of
progress and prosperity, OF individual
and national security and ~well-being,
and Of Industrial development that Is
unparalleled In the history of nations.
Our Constitution is u great birth
right. jealousy to safeguard its
fundamental structure. and thus to
preserve for ourselves and posterity
the advantages enjoyed under 1t. is
the sacred duty and the high privi-
lege of every citizen of the United
States.
Well may we endorse the appeal
of George Washington, the Father Of
his Country, when in his first Thanks
giving proclamation he urged the
people to petition
"the great Lord and Ruler Of
Nations . TO render our ma
tional government a blessing to
all the people. by constantly be-
ing a government Of wise, just
and constitutional laws, discreet
ly and faithfully executed and
obeyed."