Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-24
HAVE WE oUTcRoWN THE CON.
STITUTiON?

S1lIU ION!
Constitution Week, Sept. 1922,
will be observed by the kiwanians
throughout the country. The XII
wants Magazine for August has
from DR.. George B. Nosburgh of
Denver University contribution
which might with profit enter into
the considerations of Constitution
Week, not only by kiwanians, but
by other folks as well. Admirably
he presents features of that immortal
document which should not be per-
mittcd to escape the attention of
any American. Brief excerpts from
this afford an Inadequate comprehen-
sion of it's effectiveness but are bet
ter than nothing.
The writer feels the spirit of this
topsy- turvy period and is solicitous
respecting what it may do toward
changing the fundamentals under
lying our civilization, a serious mat
ter, however much we may ignore
the seriousness.
"Of course a clear distinction must
be made between the natural
changes wrought by the slow process
ses of evolution in history-change
that mark the steady advancement
of the race and which are in har-
mony with the divine order Of the
world-and those irrational and fit
full changes wrought by a restless,
blurred vision, and which, instead of
being evolutionary and progressive,
are revolutionary and reactionary-
a reversion to the outgrown, dis
carded and unavoidable theories of
the past. Men today, in the name of
progress, are advocating theories of
government that were tried and
thrown into the discard twenty-five
centuries ago. And even where
changes are made that have in them
a kernel of truth, the work is so
violently done as to be productive of
more harm than good
True as preaching" every word of
It! How many will heed it in the
irresponsible spirit of the day, salts
fed with not knowing where they
may be going provided they feel as
sured they are on the way. a genera
ton so accustomed to innumerable
advantages that it takes these as a
matter Of course without heed to all
the effort and sacrifice by means of
which they became possible. AS
suredly not as many as might be
wished.
Are we capable of making a proper
distribution between change and
progress, for on that much depends?
That Constitution of ours isn't
perfect of course, being the handi-
work of mana kind of man, though,
that was capable of assimilating and
putting into practical shape the
best thought and experience of the
world with regard to political gov
eminent.
1t is a written document, written
so clearly that all who may be able
to read it should be able to under
stand the fundamentals. The writer
notes how it distinguished the two
extremes of government. 1.-The auto
crazy of the individual and the auto
cracy of the mob" and avoids both
extremes in providing for rep
resentative government in which al!
should be represented, not in which
,all should have direct voice as
lin a democracy, which our govern
.ment is not and was not intended
by the fathers to be, though numer-
,ous are the efforts today to make it
$50. The makers of the American
Constitution were not unmindful of
deeds of the masses in history. 1t
was such, as the writer notes, that
clamored with PLATE to cruelty Jesus.
And another principle on which all
agreed. guaranteed 20 Englishmen
since the Magma Carta and the Bill
of Rights, was the guaranty of life,
liberty and private property" The
sacredness of this guaranty, the
writer believes "underlies the govern
mental system of our country"
The guaranty of an independent
judiciary is one which those who
have not come into contact with the
other variety may not fully appreci-
ate and there are many half baked
wits busy devisinS schemes to de-
.stroy that guaranty. THE posi-
bility of wise judicial decision to
be formed at the ballot box is very
remote" Surely profound re-
Election isn't required of the sensible
person in order to confirm that.
/. Among the considerations which
should call halt to this clamor for
change the writer notes: 1--WE expect
TOO much from legislation" There
are some evils that it is impossible
Tor government to abolish" They
may compel a child to attend school
.but they cannot make him a student,
and they cannot add to the potential
power or change the mental and
spiritual attitudes of men"