The Glenwood post., 1923-09-20
Uncle Ted'S Bed Time Stories
Current Events for the Children
and Grown-ups, Too
CONSTITUTION DAY

"what's that you're talking
about?" asked Jack. ct guess I
know something about the Constitution.
1t was signed on September 16."
"And what day do You sav it was
signed on?" asked Uncle Ted, speak
ing to Ruth.
"I said it was the 17th," answered
Ruth.
"The 18th is correct,'' said Uncle
Ted. ''That should teach You, Jack,
never to argue with lady. The
younger you learn that, the better off
Won will be. 7 wonder if YOU both
know who was the big man at the
head of things when the Constitution
was framed'
Jack.
"That's right. He was president
and deputy from Virginia when the
Constitution was signed. All of the
thirteen original states ratified the
Constitution IN either 1877 or 1888
with the exception of two. North Car
olina ratified in 1880 and Rhode Island
in 1870. Now. each wear, September
II is known ms Constitution Dav for
it was on that dav in 1899 that the
document which has so well stood the
test of time was signed. In many
cities, towns and villages throughout
the United States that dav IS rcmen.
bered with fitting ceremonies. Tn me
it should he as important DAY MS
the Fourth of July. True enouc', the
Fourth of July stauss for the d.,v lib
ertv began. vet September II repre-
sents the binding together of nation
with document that never was and
probably never will he duplicated for
forethought and thoroughness.
"This is the age Of rush and bang
and our thoughts are too much upon
what we call mod ~ and new
ideas. That is al cire. Wo should
and must progress and il is right that
we should have ambition for new aud
ignoring all the lessons of experience
and proposing to overturn our system
of government by changes that are
revolutionary and destructive.
FNobodv undertakes to say that our
Constitution is or ever was perfect. In
fact, the men who wrote the Constitu-
tion recognized that it was imperfect
and made provision for changes in il.
But they made amendment quite diff
cult % that there could be no change
until after long public discussion and
then only when n large majority of the
people favored the change. A proposed
Constitutional amendment must be sup
ported by n twothirds vote in each
house of congress and be ratified by
threefourths of the states. It is pretty
safe TO saw that an amendment adopted
in this way win not he very far wrong
''But there are a lot of people in
this country who are opposed to our
whole system of government-opposed
to any kind of government, in fact.
That is, they are opposed to any kind
of government that stand in the wav
of what they want, but I notice that
when any of them get into trouble
they are mighty quick to demand their
constitutional rights.
People who are opposed TO our
form of government are either ignor-
ant or vicious. I don't see how anyone
can know the history of our govern
ment and observe the progress our peo-
pie have made under its protection,
and till be opposed to it. It is moth
ing short Of marvellous what has been
accomplished in few years. Back in
the 1905 and 1905 central United
States was practically wilderness
Chicago was village. ST. Louis trad
ing post, and New York City was n
small town compared with what it is
today.
"And vet there are a lot of people
who enjoy the benefits of our govern
ment and the prosperity and happiness
it has brought but still fight it."
"But can't that he stopped2"
asked Ruth
eyes, to some extent, Ruth. When
ever we find any alien fighting our
government we ought to send him back