The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1937-03-18

and Great Smoky Mountains Nation
al Parks, connected by a great 500
mile highway which will be perhaps
the outstanding scenic route of the
world, is more evidence of the de-
termined drive to give to all our
people broader and more enjoy
able life. These acres of natural
beauties and scenic wonders, reserv-
ed for the public in country which
has shown too little regard for pre-
serving its soil, its forests and it's
streams, is fresh reminder that we
must not only utilize the resources
that are ours, but must guard care
fully these resources for future gen.
erations.
Creation of these two great Ma
| tional Parks on land that is not carv-
ed from the public domain, as was
the case in the West, but purchased
by a combination of public and pri-
vate interests gives new hope that
we OF today appreciate our response
bility.
They are hopeful signs in our ma
tional life, signs that our people are
beginning again to want something
more than is offered in the toll and
routine of this production age.
They are also signs that we are be-
coming conscious of the fact that
because men have the happy faculty
of gathering to themselves large
sums of money and great power, it
does not mean that they are wise
leaders or that their PHILOSOPHERS are
sound. Our new dreams are not the
products of individuals. They come
from the hearts of our millions.
There is no more fitting time to
recall that since the days the Indians
roamed the hills and valleys that
will soon resound to the purr of mo-
tor cars, the screech of horns and
voices of happy people, we have
been writing new chapters in a his
tory of great struggle-the conflict
between the rights of the people and
the Lord Proprietors of wealth. The
effort of today to guard carefully
and preserve the preeminent rights
OF the people is fresh hope that gains
have been made.
The preparations we are making
or new future for the South as
mecca for vacationing millions clear
ly indicates that we must meet the
shining motor age with ideals that
are in accord with the day-not at
tempt to meet it with wagon-road
ideals, however proud we may be of
the part they played in our early
history.
For untold years there has been
constant struggle between the three
branches of our government
legislative, the executive and the
judicial branches. The responsibility
of the legislative branch is to inter
pref the will of the people in writ
ing the laws that affect their social
and economic welfare; the response
hiity of the executive branch is to
faithfully execute, not dictate those
laws, and the judicial branch is
charged with seeing that the rights
Of OUR people are not infringed by
the laws placed on the statute books.
We have come to look upon our
courts as the last resort of the peo-
pie. They should ever be that. They
should never be the first resort of
private interests seeking to circum-
vent the rights of the majority of
our citizens. If Congress fails to cor
rectly interpret the legislative will
of our people, they have medium
for the quick removal of faithless
public servants.
There is some merit in the argu-
ment that the Constitution provides
for amendments and that this is the
proper course for meeting new con-
ditions However, we must not be
unmindful that this process is slow.
Under it few states can delay and
postpone the desires of the people in
a greater number of states. The child
labor amendment is an example.
While everyone knows that the child
labor problem-profit at the expense
of unfortunate children of tender
years-is blot on our whole nation
al existence, we have had a proposed
amendment to the Constitution
pending for thirteen long years.