Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-06-15
DOUGLAS DAILY DISPATCH TUESDAY MORNING. JUNE 15 1926

struggles and the experiences of their
(! Anglo-Saxon forbears, and the colon
Istitution, said by the most illustrious
of all the prime ministers of Eng
hand to be the greatest instrument
of government ever struck off by the
hand of man; the ideal of representa-
tive government, the sheet anchor of
popular government, without which
the democracies of the past have fail
ed; the ideal of equal opportunity
for all, with special privileges for
none; the ideal of American indivi-
dualism, the right to live up to the
limit of ones possibilities with due
regard for equal rights in others
and the ideal of popular education
Time was when the future of the
republic was regarded with the
gravest misgivings on the part of
even its most ardent supporters, and
by those who framed the constitu-
tion-when the new government was
regarded by many as but an expert
ment unsuited to the people, and TO
the states brought under it. John
jay, the first chief justice Of the
United tSates supreme court, resign
ed that high office because he re-
garded that court under the consti-
tuition, as too weak to attain the
energy, weight and dignity essential
to affording due support to the ma
tional government, or to acquire the
confidence and respect it should pos
sess Years later, John Marshall, the
great chief justice, who, for nearly
35 years presided over that high
court, and whose interpretations
breathed life into the constitution in
its application to the needs of the
rapidly expanding nation, in de-
spairing hour once wrote to his dis
| tinguished friend and associate, JUS
tice Storey, of his grave doubts of
the survival of the constitution and
of the union of states under it.
But today the principles embodies
in our constitution are the settled
political philosophy of America. Never
before in the life of the nation, has
that Instrument been held in such
sacred regard as the bulwark of the
American democracy, as never before
was it SO secure from assaults or inn
pairment. The study of it's text and
spirit is now included in the essen
tials of an education, and a require
ment for the fullest exercise of the
rights and privileges of American cit
Iizenship. The constitution has ade-
Iquately met the needs and energies
of the nation for nearly century
and half, and it's plan of free gov
eminent has been adopted by Al of
the nations of the earth today.
A hundred years ago, when govern
ment touched the people little as it
does today James Madison observed,
I"Popular government without popular
education is but a prologue to a
tragedy, or a farce or both So
well do the American people know
that an enlightened citizenship is es-
sential to the life of democracy,
that a liberal education is now the
birthright of every child of the land.
so ingrained is this idea in the Amer
lean mind that today, no matter how
heavy the burden of taxation for all
other purposes revenue for the es-
Establishment, maintenance and extern
sion Of ur public schools and colleges
everywhere, comes forth freely but
for the asking.
Within our own times, great
American citizen, scholar, soldier,
statesman and president of the re-
public, .tersely defined one of the
outstanding ideals of the American
people as that of The Square Deal !
standard of conduct required and
Ito be maintained in the public as we'll
as in private life trusts and relation
ships The ideal Of the Square Deal
has entered into and become part
of our economic and industrial as
we'll as of our political life and IN
stitutions. 1t was in furtherance of
this principle that the nineteenth
amendment was added to our constl-
tuition, and the ideal has found ex-
preston in much recent legislation
lin the regulation of the time and con-
ditions of labor-in re-distrlbutlons
of taxation, of excess profits, and IN
other measures for the equitable dls-
tribution of public burdens.
At the outset of the republic
American insisted on square deal
from the other and stronger govern
ments of the world When relations
were acute with France and the
crafty Tallyrand conditioned recog~
milton or our Representative"
bribe, the answer of our outraged
people was, Millions for DEFENSE
but not one cent for tribute" Sec
ond only in important to the LOUIS
lana purchase, of the administrative
achievements of President Jefferson,
was his prompt action in the Medl-
terranean, when the Barbary states
condoned by the foremost of Euro
pean powers, preyed upon and Levied
tribute on American and other ship
ping. Jefferson dispatched our new
fleet under stephen Decatur, to those
waters, swept the pirates from the
seas, and before their ports tod
them that if they wanted powder as
tribute they must take American
bullets with it,
I'LL ~