The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-16

by the tnlrd congress IN lVI and
ratified in 1898. II has TO do with
the judiciary department and for
bids citizen of II state or a citizen
Of foreign country to sue another
state Of the union in the fedora
court. Under the original constitu.
ton sutton living in one state haC
been permitted to maintain an action
against another sovereign state.
The 18th amendment changes the
method OF the election of the presi
dent and vice president Of the Uni
ted States.
The 18th amendment aboli she,
slavery; and the 18th amendment j.
one Of the most important Of them
all. 1t provides that all person.
born or naturalized in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof are citizens of the United
States and the state wherein they
reside and that no state shall make
or enforce any law which Shall
abridge the privileges or immuni
ties Of the citizen of the United
States and the following which has
gwen rise To so many cases in the
federal courts. namely: nor shall any
state deprive any person Of life. iih-
erty or property without due process
Of law. nor deny to any person within
it's jurisdiction the equal protection
Of the laws. This latter guarantee
has done more to protect corpora
lions, good and bad. from the hands
Of predatory politicians than amy
other law, rule, or enactment Tn
der this guarantee of the federal CON
ts.tx ,..l
and others acting By authority Of the
states may be curbcd by the federal
Under it state bodies and commits
>ions may not confiscate property
under the guise of rate making, for
instance. The fourteenth amend
nent further provides as to how
representatives shall be appOrtioncd
and in the third section disgualities
persons engaged in the late rebellion
from being senator or representa-
tive IN congress, or to be elected
president or vice president, or hold
any office. civil or military in the
United States or public office in amy
state. who had previously taken an
oath as member OF congress or as
an officer Of the United States, and
who have engaged in insurrection or
rebellion against the same, hut pro-
vided that congress may by vote
of two-thirds of each house remove
such disability. As matter of fact
the disability was soon removed from
the people Of the south who had en-
gagged in the civil war. The 18th
amendment also provides that the
public debt of the United States au-
thorized by law, including debts in
CURED for payment Of pensions and
bounties for services in connection
with instructions or rebellions, shall
not be questioned: and forLids the as
sumption by the United States or any
state Of any debt incurred by the
rebellion. 1t also forbids the giving
OF compensation for the loss or eman-
cipatiOn Of any slave and makes all
such claims null and void. Lincoln
once had the idea Of paying for the
slaves.
The 18th amendment gave the col.
Ored man the right To vote. This
in the judgment of CON
SENTATIVE men. was premature. Like
the prohibition amendment and
Others where opposition was antici-
pated 1t was provided that congress
shall have power to enforce the same,
by appropriate legislation. This
power of course was implied anyway
and the provision may be taken as a
tacit confession that trouble might
be anticipated in the enforcement
The 10th, the income tax, the 18th,
the popular election of United State
Senators, and the 18th, prohibition.
hnVn aIrAa1Sy lonn 10
18th amendment gives the right Of
suffrage to all citizens Of the United
states without regard to sex, and in
its theory is undoubtedly just. How
ever. the same object was already ac-
complished in many of the states and
many statesmen believe that this was
i matter that should have been left
to the states. and marks another en-
croachment by the federal govern.
ment upon the rights and preroga-
tivcs Of the states.
The first time in the history Of this
Nation. if we may except the civil
war period, that the constitution of
the United States was disobeyed and
flouted was after the enactment of
the 10Th amendment which gave the
colored men the right to vote. 1t is
now quite generally conceded that
this amendment came too soon and
that the conditions were not ripe
This theory seems to have been
borne out by experience and ever
since the enactment Of this amend
ment up until the present it has been
violated both in spirit and in prac-
tice, which serves as an illustration
of the truth that constitutions and
governments are really no more
powerful or efficacious than the force
behind them: and the force behino
all constitutions and constitutions
governments is the consensus ol
opinion of the people making up such
governments.
We have another illustration Of
this principle in the lack Of respec,
by considerable portion of the pop
ulation for the 18th amendment
Many sincere patriots deplore thu
tendency to correct all evils by con
stltutional amendment. They believ.
matters which are legislative shoult
be left TO the legislatures. There
was time not long distant whei
great respect was had for the fed
eral authority. When it was believed
its arm was long and strong enough
to reach out and punish all offend
ers against the constitution ant
laws. OF late years it has com,
about. however, that many people do
with seeming mpunity, disegar.
and flout the fundamental law O
the land, and are not, and seemingl.
cannot, be punished for it. Tha
wholesome fear which the cheaI
criminal once had for the Unitet
States Government has in many case
been lost.
Perhaps this tendency to tinke
with the constitution to correct an,
and all evils is a passing sign Of tn
times and will eventually correct it
self. But eternal vigilance is tn
price Of liberty and it behooves u
all to obey, honor and protect tn
constitution Of the United States
Our lives. our properties, our famil
relationships and all that we hol
dear depend for security upon tn
~ bt.t 4 ms naN ~& 49, Al