Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-15
Keep our System Govt.

The president combined with this
appeal a warning against departure
Gin this current troubled period" from
the American system Of government;
providing for coordinate legislative
executive and judicial authority and
for government by the majority. He
made no direct reference, however, to
the recent clashes between the ex-
ecative and legislative departments
nor did he mention specifically recent
combinations of the Democratic min
GRITTY with insurgent Republicans to
| override the Republican majority in
congress.
The American people, the president
| declared, may well be summoned ito
| the preservation, the guardianship
an the gradual perfection of this
SYSTEM" Of government which as
sures to the people equality against
the tyranny Of any despotic executive
and the tyranny OF any despotic leg
, islature." -.. ..,.-..-
Points Out Their Duty
Pointing out that American women
this year for the first time are able
to know long in advance OF the ma
tional elections that they are to have
the right Of the ballot, Mr.. Coolidge
asserted, that the country wants not
only the votes but the influence OF its
women in the coming elections.
Every voter ought not merely to
vote, but to vote under the inspira-
tion of n high purpose to serve tho
nation" he continued. 1T has been
calculated that in most elections only
about half of those entitled to vote
actually exercise their franchise.
What is worse, a considerable part
of those who neglect to vote do II
because of curious assumption or
superiority to this elementary duty
of the citizen. They presume to be
rather too good too exclusive TO SOIL
their hands with the work Of poll
tics. Such an attitude canno, TOO
vigorously be condemned.
Popular Govt. on Trial
Popular government is facing ono of
the difficult phases of the perpetual
trial to which it always has been and
always will be subjected. 1t needs the
support Of every element of patriot
ISM, lnIcIllRGHCe anu Capacity CdH
be summoned.
81 suppose that even among the
Daughters Of the American Revolution
there are some women who sincerely
feel that 1t is unbecoming of their sex
to take an active part in politics. 1t Is
little difficult to comprehend how
such an attitude could be maintained
by any women eligible to such a socie-
ty as this. and sufficiently interested in
the society to participate In It's work.
Nevertheless there are such. and to
them I want especially to direct an ap-
peal for different attitude toward the
obligations Of the voter.
Govt. Best by Test
Here in America We are living I'M
der n form of Democratic-R Republican
institutions which I profoundly believe
to be the best that has yet been thor
oughly tested. / say this because our
system has gone SO far in carefully
separating the different departments of
the government. In the early develop
ment of popular institutions the legis-
lative and executive authorities were
divided. But not until the founders OF
our republic had made further dis
tribution and differentiation of func-
lions was popular government assured
the opportunity to prove its case. When
the judicial function was set apart and
made the third independent but CO.
ordinating factor in the form of gov
eminent, the scheme OF q perfected
democratic republicanism was for the
first time presented to the world. That
was the great contribution made by
the founding fathers in our constitu-
ton. BY virtue of it the people were
at last assured equality against the
tyranny Of any despotic executive and
the tyranny of any despotic legislature.
Neithersof them. nor both of them to-
gether, might thereafter impose a law
less will upon a defenceless people.