The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-09-14
By JUDGE c.. ]. ORBISON

| as set out in the Constitution has been
pronounced to be the most marvellous
system of government ever devised
by the brain of man. 1t was the
first really practical experiment in a
Republican form of government and
the century that has followed has JUS
titled the soundness of the opinions of
these men who sat in that convention
hall. The Republican governments of
the world that have survived the
wrecks of political upheavels have
patterned their governments after
this model Constitution. Lawyers
from the beginning have appreciated
and understood the power and beauty
of our form of government.
The me has come when the lay
man, the American layman, upon
whom rests and will rest the burden
of safeguarding it, must understand
and appreciate the delicate adjust
ment Of that splendid piece of ma
chinery of government known as
the Constitution of the United
States. We are in danger from
friends who would throw a
monkey wrench into this machinery
in the vain hope that they are making
necessary adjustments. Let US fully
comprehend it's breadth and scope
let US see how it safeguards our life,
liberty, and property from mob rule
as we'll as from the despotic sway of
imperialistic individualism.
Too Many Commissions
Let it be understood first of all that
the Constitution is an instrument del
egating power from the people in
whom all power is lodged to particu-
lar governmental agencies. When
the people in their sovereign capacity
grant certain rights to their govern
ing authorities by and through the
Constitution, they surrender to that
extent their individual rights and
privileges. This is absolutely neces-
sary as every man must forego some
natural rights and some particular
privileges if he is to live in a social
state and at peace with his neighbor.
But it is, nevertheless, true that a
people is best governed who are the
least governed. Some people in this
modern age, however, have the err
roneous notion that the more power
that is taken away from the people
and placed with the Government
gives to them larger measure Of
liberty and greater degree Of pro-
lection. We are fast running to seed
on this theory of government. Our
national congress and our state leg
islatures are creating commissions
every year that are taking away
rights and privileges of the people
and destroying in very substantial
way the idea of local self-govern-
ment. We now have commissions
that are regulating everything from
motherhood to taxation. It is a re-
suit of the peculiar temperament of
the American people who are trying
to avoid the very substantial duty of
governing themselves.
Let US examine some of the work
ings of the constitution in connection
with the present agitation for a
change and REIMBURSEMENT of the
fundamental law.
Under the Constitution as it is now
framed, it is necessary for a bill to
pass both houses of congress and be
signed by the president. Each house
acts as a check upon the other and
the president a check upon BOTH.
There are some very good people who
are insisting upon one popular legis-
lative house and the abolishing of the
presidents right of veto. They claim
that the senate is too far away from
the people, that their term of office
is too long and that they block the
will Of the people through the ex-
preston of the House of Representa-
tives. They also claim that the power
of veto gives to one man the power of
overruling the will of popular ma
jority. No wiser provision was ever
made than the creation of two
houses by our Constitutional fathers.
The opinion of a popular majority is