Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-23
CONSTITUTION
is SHIELD FROM
ACTSOF TYRANT
Judge Wade Makes Appeal
for Patriotic Instruction in
Schools; Government Is
Offspring Of Choice.

/
attended the function for the first
time in the history of the club.
Francis A. Brogan presided as
POSTMASTER and introduced the Wis
iting speaker. The decorations were
profuse and appropriate.
Judge Wade made an appeal for
patriotic instruction in the schools,
for leaders of thought to be leaders
of patriotism, and he pleaded for a
higher respect for the constitution
and the courts.
''This government" he began, "the
offspring of your own choice, unin-
fluenced and unawed, adopted upon
full investigation and mature deliber-
alton, completely free in all its prin-
ciples, in the distribution of 5 its
powers, uniting security with energy,
has a just claim to your confidence
and support.
Supremacy in Constitution.
"The great principle of the su-
premacy of the law finds its origin
in that immortal document-the
constitution of the United States.
Few there are in these modern days
who fully appreciate the wonderful
blessings of a written constitution
which gives recognition to the fun
damental rights of man, and which
provides guarantees against the IN
vasion of these rights.
To-day the unshackled millions
of the world are looking to America
to bring to them, not wealth, not
power, but the sacred guarantees
of human liberty, enshrined in our
constitution. And yet-and yet,
there seems to be a great lack of
confidence for this great charter of
human liberty. Men born to the
blessings of liberty do not realize
that this nation is not the child of
chance, but that it is the outgrowth
of centuries of tears and blood and
sacrifices in the cause of human
freedom-these men assume an atti-
tude of criticism. Realizing that
there is in this nation this feeling of
lack of respect for the constitution,
what is our duty? Our duty as
citizens makes US defenders of the
constitution. This duty which we
have voluntarily assumed, is as
binding upon us as is our duty to
defend the flag against assault from
every foe.
Should Teach With Love.
"Sha1l we condemn those, who
through lack of knowledge, do not
appreciate the great value of the
constitution? Shall we merely call
them harsh names? We should
teach and lead them with love and
veneration for this great bulwark of
human freedom. We must teach
them that in the constitution we find
absolute guaranty of protection for
life, for liberty, and for property
rights; that there is no man so low
", that he can not point to the con-
stitution as his shield from tie acts
of the tyrant; that there is no home
so humble that it can not draw
about it the sacred mantle of the
constitution.
! "And if they point out abuses
which do exist, ask them to aid in
eliminating those abuses. If half OF
the energy which is exercised by
earnest, but misguided people, in
efforts to tear down our form of
| government, were honestly applied
in an effort to remedy existing evils
in a constitutional way, these people
would show that they were patriots
and at the same time. accomplish
something for their country and
their fellow men.
| Confidence Must Be Maintained
In defending the constitution we
must defend the courts, one of the
three great departments of our gov
eminent. The confidence of our
people in the courts must be main
tanned because the institution must
live while the nation lives. It is the
| last refuge of men whose rights
have been invaded. Power must
rest somewhere. If people say the
court is sometimes in error, admit
| it. No system has been devised,
and no system ever can be devised,
by which infallibility can be Install
ed upon the bench. IF individual
Judges do not attain the high stan
dard which is desired, the people
are to blame.
mo government will help one
who will not help himself, nor bring
bread to the indolent No govern
ment will equalize the good and
the bad, the rich and the poor, but
under our constitution all men are
equal before the law.
Can be Teachers.
THE business and professional
men at all times can be teachers
and they should be consistent de-
tenders Of the rights of the people.
We need a revival of respect for
legally constituted authority. This
republic is the hope Of all men who
love liberty.
1--WE need to teach the people in
the simple truths of American lib
erty. We must take our places be-
side the hod carrier and the sewer
digger and impress them with the
fundamentals of liberty. Unless
something is done there will be the
temptation to go out with a club
after those who teach despair, but
men are never won by the club.
Every school house should have
a course of patriotism, even for the
youngest pupils. We have been
shamefully negligent in this matter,
but have been aroused by the dark
clouds of war.