The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-03
CLEMENT SOUNDS
WARNING TO ALL
Addresses Conference of
Governors On COnstitu-
tiOnal Amendments
WANTS REFERENDUM
ON ALL CHANGES
Repeats Charge That Recent Amendments
Have Been Effected by Organized Mi
nOrities Backed by Ample Funds
State Rights Are Invaded.

state Rights Are Invaded.
HARRISBURG, Penn, Dec. AT the
annual conference of governors in SEES
sion here, Governor Percival w. Glenn
ent of Vermont spoke on the recent
amendments to the federal constitution
and declared the most serious problem
before the nation was whether govern
ment should be centralized in Washing
ton or whether government of the peo-
pie. by the people and for the people
should prevail. Governor Clement said in
part:
I believe the most serious problem
with which we are confronted today is
not the danger of entangling foreign al
liances, but is one which strikes at the
very foundation stone of our internal gov
eminent
That problem is whether we shall
have a government of the people, by the
people and for the people, or whether
the powers of government shall be CEN
trallZed at Washington, to be there de-
hned and exercised, while the states be-
come mere provinces with their inhabi
tants permitted to do only those things
which the federal government may see fit
to allow.
1tH years ago WHO cOQlQ nave IOTeSeen
and foretOld the condition in which we
today find ourselves, and which, unless
checked, is likely to produce the very
result which the fathers so earnestly
sought to avoid?
The constitution of Vermont, in COM
mon with that of many others of the
states of the union, contains precept,
which, fear. Is too frequently overlooked
and too lightly observed, but it is one
which, at this particular time, should
merit our most careful and conscientious
consideration.
The time has arrived when we must
recur to fundamental principles if the
blessings OF liberty are to be preserved
and government is to be kept free
The expressed intention of the max
eTS of the federal constitution was not to
centrahze all power. IN the federal gov
ernment, but that the states should only
grant to it such power and authority as
was necessary to permit 1t to exercise
the functions for which it was created,
and it is worthy of note that the first 10
amendments to that constitution were
not grants of further power, but were
limitations and restrictions upon the fed
eTal government.
Three hundred years ago when the
Mayhower pact, sO-called, was signed in
the cabin of that little vessel. the notion
that government should be by the people
themselves was advanced, perhaps for the
it took $50 years of constant struggle on
the part of the American colonies before
that idea was realized in the declaration
of independence.
Under the New England system, town
government is the basis of our state gov-l
ernments The town brings each individ-
uaI IN touch with government SO that he
feels he IS part OF the governing power.
"0n July 8, III. Vermont adopted a
constitution which provided, among other
things that the legislature should have no
power to add to. alter. abolish OF infringe
any part of that constitution; and never,
since its adoption, was il possible under
that provision for the constitution of
ermnt to be legally amended, without
submitting such amendments to a direct
vote OF the people, until amendments
were forced upon the people, without
shall later take occasion to point out. |
The method of making amendments |
to the federal constitution was carefully
considered by its makers. and the idea
at which they arrived was to make some
provision whereby in the case of amend J
ment, there should be an opportunity for
an expression on the part of the people, :
either through the election of their legis-
IatOrs, or by means OF a convention
elected solely for that purpose. |
They little dreamed that time would
ever come when sufficient pressure could
be exerted to force amendments through
special sessions of the legislatures, with /
out permitting any popular expression on
the subject. /
Three of the most recent amend
ments viz, the 10th, 18th and 10Th all
adopted within the last decade. are, each
of them, direct invasions of state rights,
and each of them has been imposed upon
the people of Vermont, i'll common with
the rest of the country, without their
consent. Two Of them have resulted III
the constitution of Vermont by
a method contrary to that provided for
its amendment, and in ii manner never
by the trainers of the CON
gtituti0n of Vermont. or that of the
United States"
Governor Clement cited quotations
from speeches by Alexander Hamilton,
James Madison and George Washington
in support of his contention. Continuing
he said:
These three amendments, viz. the
10Th, 18th and 18th, have been added to
the constitution by organized minorities,
backed with ample funds, by means of a
lobby system acting directly upon con-
gress and upon the legislatures Of the va
rious states.
NO one of them emanated from the
people, nor has a single one of them been