The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-18
q The Editorial Page Of The Daily Ardmoreit@ o
THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS

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L of the United States, the document upon
which the worlds first great modern republic is
based as upon granite, was born on the 17th
of September. Throughout the nation, for the
first time the day has been set apart for observ-
ance. The idea is highly commendable. The
purpose is to inculcate deeper reverence for
the constitution and higher respect for the
laws which have grown up under the protec-
ton of the constitution.
Laws are made to be respected, to be
obeyed, to be enforced
One of the chiefest of American sins is the
non-enforcement of the laws. The federal,
state, county or city official whose duty it is to
see that the laws are enforced, and who fails
to perform that duty is himself worse than the
private citizen who violates the laws Joseph
w. Folk, who was elected governor of Missouri
some years ago because he enforced the laws
while circuit attorney at st. Louis, made a ma
tion-Wide reputation as an enforcer of the laws
while he was the states chief executive. The
cardinal tenet of his civic faith was law-enforce-
ment. Governor Folk is respected and admired
everywhere by good citizens, but he cannot be
elected to office in Missouri because he en-
forced the laws. That is exactly why Joseph
w. Folk is not in the United States senate-be-
cause he enforced the laws
We employ the Folk instance by way of il
lustraton, because it happens to come first to
mind. The point we would make is that con-
scientious and able executive officials are pun
shed because they enforce the laws. Under
our pernicious political system, for which the
constitution is not responsible, many good men
are retired from office, or defeated for office
because they are known as citizens who respect
and obey the laws and who, if elected to posts
of authority, will enforce the laws. Non-en-
forcement breeds disrespect for the laws. Be
cause many of the laws are not enforced, in
virtually every community, the people have ac-
quired the habit of winkng at law violations.
A study of the constitution of the United
States is recommended as a basis for education
in respect for the laws of the land. The consti-
tuition is the groundwork upon which is reared
the splendid structure of American self-govern-
ment Let us call that structure a temple and
revere it. The temple has forty-eight great
wingS-the States-each of which is subdivided
into many rooms-the counties. Every state,
every county, every hamlet, town or city in any
county, is built upon the firm foundation of the
constitution and is part of the temple. The
laws of the land, of the state, of the locality in
which we live are but outgrowths of the con-
stitution; and inasmuch as we are taught rever-
ence for the constitution because it keeps us a
free people, we should revere also the laws
which have grown out of that basic document.
81 mean to stand upon the constitution said
Daniel Webster 81 need no other platform. The
ends | aim at shall be my countrys, my Gods
and truths"
The Websterian platform is a good, safe
platform. If we know the constitution and
stand upon it, stand together the more than a
hundred millions Of us, the American republic
is safe from assault And if we stand by the
constitution and upon the constitution as our
platform, as Webster Stood we must obey and
support the laws builded upon the constitution.
We must demand of our public servants that
those laws be enforced.
This 18th Of September is a fine day for
thinking seriously upon these things, upon re-
spect for the constitution and the laws
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