Bonners Ferry herald., 1919-09-16
CONSTITUTION
DAY SEPT. II

Next Wednesday is the ann;ver.
sary Of the adoption of the constitu- |
tion Of the United States and if is
oelng set apart by governors of all
the states as a holiday for the oh
sevance of citizens. An effort is
oelng made to Americanize foreign
ers who desire to become citizens
out this is a movement to make |
Americans acquainted with the fund |
amental principles of our govern
ment, under which the United States
mas become the most honored and |
respected nation of the earth.
10 this end Governor Davis has
issued the following proclamation to
the citizens of the state of Idaho:
The most blessed heritage given
us by our forefathers is the constitu-
ton Of the United States. Through
1t our government was first made
stable. We have to thank the au-
thors of the constitution for the
soundness which has marked this ma
ton since its adoption. We. must
thank the makers of the constitution
for making US able to procure for
the world in the recent war the free
dom which is mans birthright. On
it is founded the principle of our
government. 1t has preserved the
right of the individual and through
him has established democracy as
guiding principle of the world.
For one hundred and thirty-two
years it has safeguarded the inter-
ests of our people. They should
know more about it. 1t is not
pleasant commentary on our intelli-
gence to find that there is little in
innate knowledge of the meaning of
the constitution. We must awaken
love for this constitution. From
every pulpit, rostrum and schoolroom
in Idaho a new knowledge of the
great document of freedom and safe
ty should ring out this year on the
day set. The humblest citizen has
had his rights protected by the
might of this document and the hum
blest citizen should know as much
of what it has meant to him as do
the students who have lauded it for
a century and a third.
We have just won a grea; war at
arms. 1t is particularly fitting that
to make this victory complete the
constitution should strengthen us
Just as it did following the wonder
full victory at arms of the Revolu-
ton. A great lesson in the struggle
of our ancestors to safeguard this
military triumph through a consti-
tuition can be drawn today. This
struggle should awaken in us
thirst to know what it means to us
now. For eight years following the
war of the revolution, and preceding
the adoption of the constitution, un-
rest, anarchy and violence prevailed
The congress of that day was driven
from its meeting places, but finally
the document was completed and sta
bility took the place of riot. Today
we are restless and we must again
lean fully and absolutely on our
constitution. AS far as it is human
ly possible for a governmental docu-
ment to attain perfection, it has
reached the goal. The greatest minds
in our country today agree that the
people of the United States must
know more about it.
To that end, Wednesday, Septem-
ber II, has been set aside as Consti-
tuition Day, and l, d. w. Davis, gov
ernor of the state of Idaho, do here
by proclaim this date as a holiday
and ask every loyal citizen of Amer
lea residing in the state of Idaho to
take part in whatever local exercises
are arranged to extend knowledge
among the people concerning the
document which forms the founda-
tion of this government.
Done at Boise, state of Idaho, this
9th day of September, 1919.
~