The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1928-04-20
DEVELOPMENT OF
THE CONSTITUTION

CWinning Grafton by Bernar
Geisen, Wolf Point High School.
The earliest development of on
constitution may be traced t.
Alexander Hamilton, that federal
list stateman who contributed s.
much to its formation. Scarcel,
had the cheers attending it's adop
tion died away before he was plan
ming measures for the welfare O
the new government, measure.
necessary but not authorized BY
the constitution. Fears for its
adoption had led to keep contro
versial material out of that doe
ument. No mention was made Of
state debts but Hamilton was able
to convince congress that the as
sumption of state debts was in.
cluded under the payment of Ma
tional debts. The provision fol-
revenue tariff was stretched to in
clude protective measures. Thus
he opened up to the field of Amer
lean politics it's favorite campaign
material. The right to levy and
collect taxes was construed by
Hamilton as calling for establish
ment of the national bank to care
for its funds. This national bank
served as a precedent for the es-
Enlistment of our federal reserve
system. Hamilton not only made
use of the elastic clause himself
but pointed out its possibilities to
others. Next to avail himself of
the doctrine of implied powers
Thomas Jefferson. Although
a thorough advocate of the doc
trine of strict construction of the
constitution he sacrificed his
scruples and purchased Louisiana
when the welfare of the nation
made it requisite. Thus though
the constitution makes no
expressed provision for territorial
expansion of our country has APP
proximately tripled it's domain
and planted its flag on the oppo-
site side of the globe.
To the supreme court under the
leadership of John Marshall we
owe much of the development of
our constitution. Under his guild
ance the supreme court was really
a continuation of the constitution
al convention of 1887. The decis-
.ons of its members were charac-
-erized by the same zeal for con-
stitutional liberty. Theirs was not
he privilege of originating new
constitutional provisions but Civ
ng form and substance to those
outlined. By judicial in
expectation the supreme court
-irtually defined the constitution
S we have it today. Political par
likewise, have played their
art in the development of the
constitution. Public opinion has
ictated that no president should
erve for more than two terms.
Iany of the Presidents executive
motions have been given over to
cards and commissions such as
he interstate commerce, civil SER
ice, and federal trade commits
His use of the veto power
as made him take a very active
art in legislation, so much so
he has been judged more as
legislator than as an executive. 4;
ustom has also required that a
'ngressional representative live {
the district he represents {
.ough the constitution does not I
stipulate. The force of public {
Union has lead to a weakness in {
e enforcement of the fourteenth S
d eighteenth amendments. So
a be seen that the develop
ent of the constitution is respon-
We to public opinion. Congress q
0, has contributed to the devel- =
ment of the constitution. The
use of representatives and SEN
e have expanded their rights to
the judge of election returns
d qualification of their mem a
RS. Membership in the senate q
Is refused the Norman Senator I
noot though there vas nothing 1
the constitution barring him. =
several cases duly elected sena- a
IS were not seated because OF a
rrupt election charges. These .
anges have been brought about Il
individual statesmen, legisla- $
acts of congress, judicial in D
probation, political customs ana d
'ce of public opinion. The plan q
by the trainers OF the Il
Institution for development was y