Evening journal., 1923-02-14


result of intelligent measures to OPP
pose them. While there are classes
among people in this country. there
are no class barriers that energy, in
I telligence and integrity cannot break
I through. no matter how lowly the
/ source from which the individual
emerges. The lessons of the self
made men Of our country are con-
stant demonstration of the equality
of opportunity that it is the purpose
Of the restraints of the Constitution
to guarantee to the individual. This
and only this is the individuallsm
/ of the Constitution.
Under our Constitution a free
man is one who has the right to en-
/ joy what he earns, who may spend it
for his comfort or pleasure, who may
save It and keep It for his future
use and benefit II re has the fore
sight and self restraint to do so.
( This Is what we mean by the right
OF private property All the ma
terial and much Of the spiritual
+ progress OF the world has resulted
from its recognition. II Is one OF
4 the great motives OF human en-
deavor. Destroy it and human ef-
fort will decline TO a mere struggle
/ for food Material progress will end.
( Saving will cease. capital will dis
appear invention will dwlndle, or
eanizatiOn OF industry will disin-
/ tegrate. production viii decline and
population will decrease. The Won
derful material progress OF the
world in the last two centuries has
resulted from the constantly inn
proving Industrial organization OF So
ciety based on the institution of pri-
vate property. The population of
the earth has greatly increased dur
ing that period and its increase Is
solely due to the greater productive
itv Of human society under modern
Industrial organization. Two hun
dred years ago the world could not
have supported the population Il
now has. The productivity OF hu-
man society was not sufficient to en-
able IL TO do so. As property is ac-
cumulated opportunity is provided
for the individual to exert himself
for the spiritual Advancement OF the
race. Education Is advanced and
fostered. Progress Is made in art.
The influence OF morality and re-
ligion are extended and strength
ened. This spiritual progress is the
real flower OF the institution OF pri-
vate property. It is the answer TO
the complaint against materialism
and the selfish struggle for wealth.
Not only is It the answer, but ! be-
lieve the spiritual progress made
possible by the institution of pri-
vate property will eventually so in
fuence human society as TO greatly
minimize II not wholly eradicate
those things that are looked upon
as the evils OF plutocracy.
Il believe the greater danger TO
our Const tuition is 20 be looked Tor
in constant attribution of seemingly
harmless half bake1 ideas OF medi-
ocrlties who would rub away the
checks and balances Of the Const-
tuition and make possible more d.
rect action by the people establish
more governmental paternallsih'
more frequently attempt to estao-
fish morality by legislation. lessen
the independence OF the individual
and create a greater dependence on
government.
,.'These attacks are often in the
guise OF public good. They are diff
flcult TO oppose. but they are Just
as certainly inimical to the preser-
walton OF those fundamentals OF the
Constitution that 1 have pointed out
and that are its great outstanding
features that have called forth the
wondering admiration OF pollucai
philosophers and statesmen through
out the world.
"As one of the main purposes OF
the Constitution Is to secure TO the
individual equality of opportunity so
the preservation of the Constitution /
against attack and what l would 1
call friendly emasculation must rest 1
on the interest. the understandings f,
the independence and the vigorous .
,upport of the individual citizen.
"That the Constitution must be /
preserved is a proposition that the
history Of the past one hundred ana
.hirty-five years demonstrates. our
form OF government IS the Oldest
among the important nations OF the
world today. The Constitution is
the same as when adopt
ed. The amendments have not
changed the form Of government.
When our Constitution was adopted
all the European nations, except
switzerland. was monarchal, now
they are in theory representative
except Russia, where
chaos relgns. All have changed l
their forms OF government in the 4
past one hundred and thirty-nve
years. some several times. Even
has changed from the gov
ernIng parliament of two Houses
to that which in reality is only
one.
NO other theory Of government
in the history of the world would
seem to meet the needs of mankind
so successfully as representative /
has done. The glory of .
this great example is ours. IL must .
be our pride to make the contlnu- (
ing operation Of representative gov /
ernment in the United States a con- /
stant demonstration OF it's adequacy 1
to meet the needs of mankind in /
every changing condition OF human /
society.
THAT we shall do this and so pre- (
serve our Constitution is more than
a hope. That the Constitution has
successfully met the vicissitudes Of
1876 years is some guarantee for the
future. That II has always found
staunch defenders IN the past is
surety for their presence in the days
10 come unless the descendants Of