Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-03
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR |
DUTY OF LEGISLATORS
TO the Editor of the Telegraph:

. IHe LtuHW Ut Mc ItfekfoH"'
The Members of the lower house
of our General Assembly are called
Representatives in the General As
sembly." OF course they are in the
generic sense no more the REPRE-
sentatives" of their constituents than
are the members of the StateSenate.
| Members of both bodies are elected
| by the people in this Representative
government to make the laws Ior
| them in their representative capac-
| ity. But we are led to ask whether
/ in every case a member of either
body Is to vote as he believes a ma
jority of his constituents want him
to vote. In talking with q member
| of the present house from Allegheny
l'county he declared that he must
vote on q certain measure against MS
! own convictions because he knew
they elected him to represent them
! by voting that way.
How shall vote?" is not a ques-
tion to be answered lightly on any
call. There are certain principles
that must guide the real man what
ever be the problem before him.
First there is the problem OF
Righteousness that must be answered
righteously by the representative.
Our fundamental law declares that
the object Of the forming of the
United States government was, lin
order to form q more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility, provide for the common
| defense. promote the general welfare
and secure the blessings of liberty to
ourselves and our posterity." Every
official of every kind is the "repre-
sentative" of his constituency" only
for the purpose of accomplishing
these objects, and not for carrying
out their particular desires. This
is easily seen by supposing that a
certain constituency was composed
largely of people of anarchistic be-
liefs. The man elected as a legisla-
tor from that district would be con-
sidered no less a traitor to his coun-
try IL in obedience to their desires
he attempted traitorous deeds
Neither he nor his constituents have
any right to harbor attempts to dc
anything. to initiate against right
eousness nor that more perfect
+, union, etc." that our government
was formed to achieve.
In applying this principle to the
perpetuation of the liquor traffic, il
does not take man with half an
eye to see that the liquor traffic
does not help "to form q more per-
! feet union, establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the gen.
eral welfare, and secure the blessings
OF liberty to ourselves and our pos
terity." During the present war il
has been convicted by Congress OF
being in league with our enemies
in all times the results of the traf-
fic Is great injustice brought upon
the victims of the drink habit and
their households; instead of promot.
ing the general welfare, it fills jails
and penitentiaries and aims houses
and asylums; its habitats are the
breeding places of anarchy and
crime; and it threatens the destruc-
ton of the blessings of liberty. Thank
God the people of the United States
nave alrady decreed 1t shall die.
The question of ratification of the
prohibition amendment by our leg.
lslature is just now burning one
IL has already become q part of the
united States Constitution. Shall the
legislator who may have been elected
by the people in his district who
were opposed to ratification vote
when the time comes against ratifica.
ton? In the face of the reasoning
given above we would have to an.
swer, No; he must vote for ratifi.
cation because to vote against it 4.
10 vote against the things for which
his government was formed and IN
reality vote for Its overthrow" Bu
there Is now an even more poten
reason why no legislator should vot,
against the amendment. Thi,
amendment Is NOW q part of tn,
United States Constitution. Ever,
legislator has solemnly sworn or af
1rmed that he will Support tn,
constitution of the United States.
III he votes against the amendment
then, is he supporting" the con
stitution? or is he, SO far as he can
doing the opposite? The question
looked at squarely is not hard IL
answer. Then let us push it lust 8
little farther; If he is not support
ing the constitution, what Is h,
doing? 1t may not be pleasant I,
think or to say IL, but it is not tru,
that he is violating his oath of Of
nee? Alas, that so often this matte,
OF being sworn is not taken SERIOUSLY
Would that every momber of on,
legislature at this late hour woulf
square himself with his oath of of
flee. VA