Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-04-03

nent basis the general principles Of
N. r. A. and A. A. A. together with
such other measures as may fit into
the general scheme. I anticipate that
every member Of that Congress will
have to face the issue during the
Winter and Spring of 1885. Indeed,
unless I am very much mistaken, we
shall all have to face 1t in the con-
gressional campaign Of next Autumn.
Liberty outlined.
Now, what is the nature of the
issue itself? There is nothing very
complicated about it, certainly nothing
mysterious. We can be specific in our
analysis of it. For little over 140
years the American Nation has main
tatned, without substantial change, a
certain form Of government. Its form
and its functions are outlined in the
Constitution of the United States.
And. what is more important. some
Of the very vital relations of the
citizen to his government are ex-
pressed in the Constitution. notably in
the Bill of Rights. Jealous Of our
privileges as free men. we have dele
gated to the national Government GER
tain carefully specified powers, and
at the same time We have reserved to
the States, and to ourselves, the
people, all those powers which are not
specifically delegated to the Federal
Government. 1t Is this reservation in
favor of the people that spells liberty
of the traditional American kind. It
Is this reservation which guarantees
to us local self-government. and the
right of the States to order their
domestic affairs through the exercise
of their police powers. 1t is in the
localities, the towns, the villages, the
cities, the counties and the States that
our people practice self-government,
and thereby maintain their ability
unatrophied to carry ON representa-
tive democracy.
Let us never forget that our oppor-
tunities and abilities to govern our
selves are not conferred upon us by
the Federal Government in Washing
ton. We possess these abilities and
enjoy these opportunities as a result
Of that reservation of power in favor
Of the people which Is found in the
tenth amendment of the Constitution.
The success Of our experiment has
been extraordinary. We have grown
and thrived. Generally speaking, our
Federal Government has performed
efficiently those functions which are
clearly national in character, and the
people of the States and smaller
communities have performed their
functions in local government like
wise. And it is in the performance
OF the latter, especially, that there has
been kept alive amongst the people
the spirit of liberty. / have said we
have lived for more than 140 years
In this Federal Union of States.
wonder how many Of you realize that
the Government Of the United States
Is today the oldest government upon
the face of the earth. BY that 1
mean that it has existed longer, with
out substantial change in form, than
the present-day government of any
other nation.
Let us glance at the list for a mo-
ment. Since Washington was inau-
gurated in the year 1889 the French
nation has experienced three repub-
lican governments, with variations,
and two imperial governments. The
Spanish nation has seen several
changes in its government, resulting
recently in the overthrow of their
monarchy and the establishment Of a
republic. The German nation, weld
ed together by Bismarck as late as
1870. has but recently expelled the
Hohenzollerns, tried a republic. and
Is now trying Hitler. The Italian
nation. welded together about 1850 by
Cavour, finally set up a constitutional
monarchy so years after Washington
took office. and today We see Musso-
lini the dictator Of that ancient king
dom. What was formerly the Austro-
Hungarian empire is now divided into
three or more nations, and the Haps-
burgs are gone. From Russia the
Romanoffs have disappeared and we