OCR Text |
Show Talking history. w Under, tho head "Tnlklng Through lint," n newspaper publishes part of a speech of Francis .1. Heney of Snn Francisco In which ho Is reputed, to have said: "We havo had a very mockery of self-government; tho fathers worked out this constitution In secret sdsulon. Thoy were not elected to draw ono up ut all, but only to amend the articles ar-ticles of' redorntlon. Tho constitution wns drawn up tor the benetit ot property pro-perty owjiers. It had taken olght years Tor threi; million peoplo to drlvo out u handful of British soldiers, ana then, ylvbn their stomachs were empty emp-ty nnd 'tto spirit of lndopendenco was low, thoy accepted this constitution, nnd we'vo been righting tho money power over since." Now, some or that is talking out or nil hounds; yet much or it Is solid fact. Jinny highly repfitnblo historians histor-ians term tho constitution of 1787, tho rebellion of 1787, nmong them being be-ing I'res. Harry Pratt Judson of tho University of Chicago. When tho tramers or the constitution met they were ,' to consider tho amendment or j' the Articles of Confederation, not to if frame a now constitution. Thoy met secretly, set nbout getting u now form of government, nnd succeeded In doing so. Thoy fought out tho wholo constitution, pleco by piece, with compromises resulting on nearly ev ery important point. Furthermore, inniiyu principle, which wo nrcept now as being embodied In the constitution consti-tution was -not thought of by tho fra-inors fra-inors thereof. For iiistanco, tho constitution con-stitution does not specifically declare that now lands can bo purchased by tho government and mndo a part of tho nation; yet wo havo bought no less than throo of tho most Importnut parts of our country. And Mr. Honoy wis right when Ho said that tho men who framed tho constitution wore property holders. Tho aristocracy or the country, or those "who woro left rrom tho ruin ot tho war, had to get together to rramo up somo deal to makr tholr property secure; but In doInb so thoy saved tho country and gavo succor to tho poor am' the destitute nnd therein brought torth tho great United States. Property rights werp deeply Involved In the traming or the constitution, and rightly so- In fnct '1 cou,1 scarcely scarce-ly have been otherwise, at that early dato when all government then known was rounded upon practically the samo principle. ' It is now so mucTT HOW tho constitution consti-tution was rramed as WHAT has been brought out ot it. But moro rending rend-ing or history and moro Interpretation ot tho constitution according to pro-sent pro-sent day requirements would 'bring greater security and prosperity to tho common people. H we would read and talk more history wo would think and act rar better than we do . ! |