The Ocala banner., 1922-05-12

ent happy state, it is requisite. not only
that you steadily discontenance irregular
opposition to its acknowledged authority.
but also that you resist with care the
spirit of innovation upon its principles.
however specious the pretexts. One me-
thod of assault may be to effect, in the
forms of the constitution. alterations what
cannot be directly oyerthrown. In all the
changes to which you may be invited.
remember that time and habit are at least
as necessary to FIX the true character OF
governments as of other human institu-
tions: that experience IS the surest stand
ard by which to test the real tendency
of the existing constitution of country-e-
that facility in changes upon the credit OF
mere hypothesis and opinion exposes to
perpetual change. from the endless variety
of hypothesis and opinion and remember,
especially that for the official manage
ment of your common interests. in a
country so extensive as ours. a government
of as much v-goI as is consistent with the
perfect security of liberty is indispens-
able. Liberty itself will find in such a
government with powers properly dis
trlbuteti and adjusted. its surest guardian.
It is indeed little else than name where
the government is too feeble to Withstand
the enterprises of faction. to confine each
member of the society within The limits
prescribed by the laws. and to maintain
all in the secure and tranquil enjoyment
OF the rights of person and property.
What marvellous thoughts compared TO
the mush that we hear these days.
sixty Years With Constitution Unchanged
The people of the United States fol-
lowed his adnoniiions and injunctions for
more than sixty years No demand was
made TO amend the constitution OF the
United states until the necessities of the
Civil war compelled the constitution 10
be amended: and then because of the
abolition of slavery. from 1865 to 1869
the thirteenth the fourteenth and the fiji
teenth amendments were adopted. not for
the purpose of taking away from the peo-
pie some of their rights, but for the Fer-
pose of further securing 10 them their
rights. for rich. for poor. for white. for
black.
Then for Forty Years-Then the DeIuge
After that no further attempt was made
TO amend the constitution of the United
States for more than forty years: and then
the intellectual sky-climbers. the mental
1oy-riders the half-baked theorists. and
the demagogue got in their work and
from 1918 TO 1922 we have had the
sixteenth, the seventeenth. the eighteenth.
and the nineteenth amendments adopted 10
that remark sable instrument.
And 1 assert here to you businessmen
this country now. your complaints. and
your dissatisfaction. have resulted from
the adoption of the primary system and
the adoption of the amendment providing
for the election of United States senators
by the people The adoption of this prirl-
ciple the primary system, and that con-
stitutional amendment. we're exactly Or
posite to- those principles that ac' uated
and animated our forefathers whel they
adopted our constitution Our forefathers
were wise enough TO know that the people
of the United States as whole could nots
in reason be qualified sufficiently in the
art of government to make legislation di-
rectIy or to nominate officers directly. and
so the theory of our wonderful govern
ment was that the people should select
representatives 70 do those things. I am
treading upon dangerous ground. but those
things always have TO be trod upon. The
very purpose that animated our fore
fathers in providing that United States
senators should be elected by the legisla-
lures of the various states was that if
one-third should be elected every two
years and those men should be elected by
the legislatures of the various states. the
representatives of the people. they would
always be there as a check upon the i'm
pulses of the representatives OF the lower
house who were desirous of being re-elect-
ed and who. necessarily. felt that they
must pay attention TO the then opinion OF
the people, however wrong the people
might at that particular time be- II you
are going to have United States senator's
elected By the people. you might as well
have only one house. because the history
of this country. since the adoption of that
constitutional amendment. shows that the
senate OF the United States. as rule. has
been more radical than the house. Note
the haste with which the present senators
of the United States are endeavoring.
against the advice Of the secretary Of the