Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-07-15
THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.


constitution of the United States. and that hereto
fore, excepting the constitution itself there has been
scarcity OF books which the average individual
coud read and obtain enlightenment, L. J. Norton,
member of the legal department Of the Santa Fe
railroad Chicago, has prepared a volume for the
purpose Of he says, ito put within the reach of
the American citizen and the young people in
school brief but full and live explanation Of the
sources of the great clauses of the constitution and
also the application of those clauses in the great
cases which have arisen.
Mr.. Norton has Issued statement showing why
he prepared the volume, which the Journal is glad
to publish, as If there is thing upon which the
average American needs enlightenment, it is the
constitution of the United States. The statement
follows:
MY purpose in preparing this volume was to
put within the reach of the American citizen and
the young people in school brief but full and live
explanation of the sources of the great clauses Of
the constitution and also the applications of those
clauses in the great cases which have arisen.
when in school nobody knew anything
about the constitution When taught school there
was no means OF teaching anything about form
of government And when 1 took the law course
at the university got mighty little the subject
although used book written by the great Cooley.
He had secreted the constitution in the back Of the
book and then went discussing questions in al
manner which left me in doubt whether he was
making statements from the constitution or from
great decisions, or from his own opinions. This
separation of the constitution from the explanation
of 1t is the fault Of every work that have ever
In my book the constitution. in striking type
dominates, it should. from beginning to end
1.-THE constitution and amendments along in
practically unbroken connection, while underneath
each clause requiring explanation is found explana
tory matter-not In the usual form of Objectionable
footnote but in large clear type. Following the
remark of great iurist and writer the const-
tuition, that no understand its sententious
sentences without a knowledge of the history lying
back Of them, ! wrote the notes with the purpose
of % showing what government evil the fathers
had in mind when they wrote a particular clause,
such as the commerce clause, or the clause regard
ing the declaration Of war, the veto clause, and
30 on, and (2) the construction and application OF
those clauses in great contests that have arisen.
believe that have good story, too. Instead Of
turning the indexing over to some one else myself
prepared (p. 277) index with lead pencil, SO
that everything In the book is obtanabe when
It is wanted. Next prepared Up. 263) table OF
cases which is unique and which makes very
good index in itself. At the end of the book is
historical chart which designed to blow away
the fog in which our historians have left the tran
sition period British rule to the constitution
and following that is chart Of my own invention
which gives at glance the mechanism Of the
greatest governmental system in the world, and
which in itself is very good commentary on the
constitution.
"And all through the book the pride of the
American Is appealed to be () frequent reference
to the constitutions OF other nations which copied
ours. and CD by quotations from great lawyers OF
other countries in praise Of the American system
and of the American genius which devised 1t.
Now. with Mexico swarming with Reds and the
United States swarming with their first cousins, l
feel that universal training Of the head is Just as
important in this country as universal training In
arms and therefore my hope in the preparation OF
this book has been to have it not only handbook
for the and his wife who vote, but also text
book for young America in school. had this feel
ing SO earnestly that insisted that the publishers
must issue the book at the lowest price consistent
with clear typography and strong binding.
search of the great Libraries of the country and OF
the catalogues of publishers disclosed before be-
gan that no such book existed A lecturer recently
mentioned that in city high school the pupils were
engaged in essay-writing contest and were as
tonished upon going to the public library and dis
covering that 1t was empty of anything explanatory
of the constitution. They were astonished again
when they found numerous things in the library
against our form of government.
"Chief Justice Taft told me recently that when
he began the teaching of constitutional law at Yale
he looked around for some book that might serve
as basis of instruction. but he discovered that no
satisfactory existed.
Unconstitutional leagues, national defense leagues
! and kindred organizations throughout the country
have been trying since we became involved IN the
war to do something in this direction, but without
{. hand hook or a textbook not much can be accom-
plished.
"Across the top of the cover of book that
,,sed when was a boy this German proverp'
.Whatsoeyer you would have appear in the lie Oh
!. nation must be put into the schools That Is
correct The German put the wrong IDEAS IN MS
schools but there is absolutely no question that ne
rot results The most important thing IN our
schools should be our constitutional system OF gov
ernnent which never has been taught at ALL IN
aeed the late Chief Justice White in an ADDRESS 10
tha American Bar association, mentioned that al 'he
close of series Of lectures before one or our great
,niversites in the east by an American or lnterna
$ tional reputation young man came forward anu
thanked him and said that he had been IN the
institution for nearly four years and never oelore
had heard good word for the government Oh tne
II United States. ~.
.ro illustrate the serviceableness OF the book
al, your attention to the matter quoted at pages
$50 and 1s1 from Dicey, the greatest living writer