Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-10
LAW ENFORCEMENT, RESPECT FOR
LAW AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTION


Editors Notc.--The fol-
lowing paper was read by G.
NJ. Bolts, albuquerque attor-
ney, at a recent meeting OF the
Ten DOns.)
When Secretary Hoover was here
on Armistlee day, he made one
simple statement in the course OF
his address, which should be
Transcribed and scattered broad.
cast In such form that 1t might be
framed and hung in the daily view
OF every American citizen. II
might be said that this statement
is not so valuable for the thought
IT contains, as for the many
thoughts II suggests. He said; I'll
we would preserve our institutions
We must first understand them"
Demands for Changes
1t may appear that this remark
has small application to the SUBJ
ject which has been assigned me:
Law Enforcemeht-Respect fOg
Law and the Federal Constitu.
ton" Let US see. 1t will be gen.
orally agreed. / think. that our
laws will not be enforced, except In
the most desultery way, nor our
constitution preserved, II the re-
spect OF the people therefor be
lacking Neither will It be dis.
puted that now, as never before
are our institutions held in disre.
spect. Demands for changes and
innovations are heard on every
hand This, Of itself, is not to be
depiored, In so far as change is
necessary to real progress; but the
thing to be regretted Is that. as a
usual thing, those who are ioudest
In their demands are the least In
formed and have the least under
standing Of our institutions which
they seek to change. They have
little or no idea of the effect upon
the fundamental principles UNDER
lying our social and political struc-
ture, which their proposed changes
would have. "If we would pre-
serve our institutions, we must
first understand them"
Government by the People
Fundamentally, this is truly a
government by the people. That is
TO say, the sovereignty of this ma
tion Is vested, not in one man or
group OF men, not in the presi-
dent or in congress, but In its one
hundred millions of people scat
tered from coast to coast and from
its northern to its southern border
For the government of our rela-
tions one with another, we have
adopted and are constantly adopt
ing certain rules. These rules we
call law, If each of us were alono
and without opportunity to mIngie
with our fellows, no such rules
would be snecessary--there would
be no need to guard against our so
exercising our rights that we would
thereby infringe upon the equal
rights OF others, because there
would be no such infringement or
opportunity therefor. But We are
not so individually isolated. We
are social creatures-and not only
that, but selfish creatures as well,
and I use the term selfish" not
altogether IN its baser sense, but
rather in the sense OF personal am
billion and aggression. When two or
more Of such nature come in con-
tact, either conflict or oppression
ensues, unless restraint Is inter-
posed TO prevent. Among a free
people. laws have their function
and their sole function in effect
ing such restraint.
adoDtcd u Solemn COMPACT
We are such free people: we
have long ago proclaimed and have
since sustained our freedom from
any and all restraint. except such
as we voluntarily impose upon our
selves. And, to the end that that
restraint mieht be imnosed edual-
ly, fairly and in an orderly man.
ner. and without oppression OF
temporary minorities by tempo
rary maiorities. we, the people. en-
tered into and adopted n solemn
"orrnact. each with the other
binding upon all no less than upon
one whereby a definite plan OF
government was agreed unon. and
positive limits were fixed beyond