Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 202, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1919 — Personal Issue to Every American: The United States Constitution [ARTICLE]

Personal Issue to Every American: The United States Constitution

By JAMES M. BECK,

Former Aee’t U. S. Attorney General

Unless the present tendency to change ( the Constitution of the United States by amendment, interpretation or usage is checked by a sound public opinion, it will one day become a noble and splendid ruin like the Parthenon, but, like the Parthenon, useless for practical purposes and an object of melancholy interest only. Let all patriotic Americans take up the cry: “Save the Constitution!” This nation has spent its treasure like water, and the blood of its gallant youth to.make “the world safe for democracy.’’ The task is accomplished, but in the mighty reaction from the supreme exertions of the war it is now apparent to thoughtful men that a new problem confronts mankind —and that is to mdke democracy safe for the world. Kaiserism has been haled to the bar of civilization and has been convicted and sentence of execution pronounced. And now the world is slowly perceiving that democracy is also on trial, charged by its foes with unduly restraining the will of the majority to inflict their will upon the inalienable rights of the individual, and, by its friends, with inefficiency. In this period of popular fermentation, the end of which no man can predict, the Constitution of the United States, with its fine equilibrium between efficient power and individual liberty, still remains the best hope of the world, ...... / If it should perish the cause of true democracy would receive a fatal wound and the best hopes of mankind would be irreparably disappointed.