, 1927-06-15

national essay contest on Lne leu-
eral constitution conducted by the
National Republic. Washington ma
tional magazine. has decided that
the best essay submitted by a stu
dent in this community was written
by Edward Black. son of a local
rancher.
Thousands of essays sub
in every state in the Union, Hawaii,
Porto Rico and Virgin Islands. The
prize of $500 for the best essay
written by a high school student
was won by George w. Lighton,
of the Louisville Male High school
Louisville. Ky. The prize Or $500
for the best essay submitted by a
grade student was won by Esther
Smith of Mandan, N. Dakota,
In awarding the prizes the Com
mittee of Award commented upon
the surprisingly high quality of the
essay submitted, and the evidence
they gave of a thorough compre-
hension of the national Constitu-
ton.
Following is the essay written
by Edward Black who was one of
the graduates this year.
The Constitution
We. the people of the United
States. in order to form a more
perfect Union, establish justice.
insure domestic tranquility. provide
for the common defense, promote
the general welfare and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves
and our posterity, do ordain and
establish this constitution for the
United States of America.
So reads the preamble to our
Constitution, one of the greatest
Of human documents. Let us ex-
anime this preamble which is in
a brief synopsis of the principles
upon which our government is bas-
ed.
First I'VE the people of the
United States obviously then it
was no despotic ruler nor a select
group of mobiles who framed it.
They were men selected by the
people to represent them. Next,
the several reasons for drawing up
81 NOW . vi w 6hAa0
the newly formed nation in the es-
tablishment of its government "In
order to form a more perfect
Union" The Articles of Confed-
GRAFTON had proven to be weak and
inefficient. The states were widely
divided. Territorial disputes and
disagreements over taxation marked
this period. 1t was obvious that
a form of Union which would bind
the states together for the COM
mon good was imperative. How
well the trainers of the Constitu-
ton succeeded in supplying this
need is attested by the fact that
the results of their labors. with
very few changes is still In use to-
day.
Then follows a list of things
which every person has a right to
demand and expect; namely. JUS
tice. domestic tranquility, common
or united defense against enamies
of the Nation; advancement OF the
general welfare of all and a guar
antee of liberty not only for himself
but for his descendants as well.
Inc group Ol mtH VINO 6athCic
in Philadelphia in 1889 were heroes
in every sense of the word. They
had met to revise the Articles of
Confederation. They did more han
this; they framed the Constitution
of the United States. They had NO
legal authority to take the bold
step which they did. They had
no proof hat the people would ac-
cept the results of their labors
Bat they did know hat the states
needed something more efficient
and more effective than the worn
out and almost useless Articles.
And these brave men. with the
characteristic farsightedness and
wisdom of those early pioneers
took upon themselves the responsi-
bility of supplying this need.
They encountered difficulties up
on difficulties almost without num-
Der. Perhaps the greatest OF which
was the question of representation
The smaller states feared that the
larger ones would control the gov
eminent while the latter cared toe
much power would be granted the