The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-05-14
PUBLISHING THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT

The public discussion by newspapers, through their editorial
columns, and not in the news departments, of such subjects a S live
political issues, civic matters, education, dress, hygiene, government
taxation, science and the like has always been, and will, no doubt,
continue to be not only permissible, but in many instances highly
desirable.
When editorial or public rostrum utterance goes the length of
attempting to twist, distOrt Or positively misrepresent the real senti-
ment of the people a s expressed by a majority of voters at the
polls which principle OF majority rule" is the very basis of our
government as it also is the basis of our very civilization, the actual
point of going beyond the limit" has been reached, especially when
such criticism is directed against the Constitution. That such criti-
cism is destructive of our very civilization and tends to breed con-
tempt in the minds of the lawRss element for all laws, thus throwing
the burden of enforcement of law unjusty and inequitaby upon the
law abiding ctizenry of the country, is admitted by everyone and
denied by no one. That such crude attempts to thus misnterpret the
cal sentiment OF the majority OF law-abidng, decent and self-respect-
ing ctizens-men and wOmen-is not only resented by the people
but tends to discredh, both officially and in the business office,
those guilty of such un-American utterance, is acknowledged by all
and at the same time, is glOated over by the lawless.
This opinion of The Courier is cOncurred in by the Dearborn
Nich) Independent, Henry FOrd's International weekly, when it
says in this weeks issue, under the caption, Doctor Butler, Tinker"
Fortunately, what Nicholas Murray Butler may say, while
usually interesting, is not of world topping Importance. This is
regrettable, for time was in this country when presidents of great
universities were able to speak the peoples thought in a way to give
that thought incisiye power. The nations spokesmen arr ~ fonnd
in the seats of learning today; indeed we look for them in vain in
all the seats where u fathers we're accustomed to find them. A
strange pueriity has fallen upon pulpit, academy and legislative
forum. All of them make efforts to be heard; they resort to many
devices to attract attention, but the root of the matter is not in
them, and the people turn away unrefreshed.
ut should be said in President Buffers behalf, however, that
he labOrs under a great handicap-he lives in New York We have
heard of Americans who were SO impressed by the London point of
view that they quite forget their Americanism; but it is daily evident
that infection by the New York point o vie" produces the same
malady. Nicholas Murray Butler resides among what is probably
Inc greatest aggregation Ot ahen-mmded aliens existing OIL earth,
and what is worse he daily mIngles his mind with theirs in his
capacity a IS head of the worlds greatest alien university. Very few
things American re in favor among the community where DIR. Butler
dwens~. The Constitution itself, even before the Eighteenth Amend
ment as added, a very much out of favor. Americansm generally
is an influence to be neutralzed-in the mind of the great majority
of COlumbias alien beneficaries. And nothing would better serve
their end than to have the Constitution unwisely amended, but I'M
amended again and again, until that document becomes a mere
scrap of paper.
LAS to the question of Prohibition W e take it that DR.. Butler is
esOpped by his environment from thinking about it a the majority
of the American people do. Residence in New York Oh Washington
is separation from the mind of the United States. The Prohibition
discussion proceeding should have occurred before the COnsti-
tutOnal Amendment was made What had DIR. Butler to say then?
But now that Prohibition is in the Constitution, it will stay there if
for n other reason than to warn everyone that the Foundation
Document of this Government is not to be juggled with-nOw jammed
with amendments, e denuded of them, and made the sport of
passing interest. Dr. Butler has perfect liberty under the COnstitu-
ton to think Is he pleases, and even to say what he pleases, about
Prohibition. But tampering with the Constitution is another mat
ter. However, it would be a mistake to grow too serious about
this. DIR. Butler is usually harmless"