The Short Constitution Part 2

The Advantages of Staying in School

One Law-abiding Citizen That I Know

What One Man I Know Knows About the Rights and Privileges of the American Citizen Under the Const.i.tution.

Why Everyone Should Study the Const.i.tution

What a Law Is, Where It Comes From and Its Value

II. GOVERNMENT

The Purpose And Origin Of Government Among Men-In The United States

It is a little difficult even for grown people to understand clearly what is meant by "the government". They have so many absurd notions about what the government is, and where it is, that I do not wonder that children do not understand. If I could look into the mind of each child here this morning, I am sure I would find many that picture the capitol at Washington, the President, or some other officer as being the government.

Now the capitol and the President and the Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States and all other National officers are part of the government, _but they are not the government_.(7)

The government of the United States is merely the agency by which and through which the people protect their own rights and liberties. Our government may be said to be the organized will of all the people. The people govern in this country, and the men and the means by which they govern all combined may be said to be the government. But do not ever forget this fact: the President is not a master, but a servant. The President, Senators, congressmen, and judges, in the Nation; the Governors, State Senators, and State Representatives in the States are only agents or servants of the people to carry out the people's will. Also do not forget that the power of government does not rest in Washington, the capital of the Nation, nor at the capitals of the different States.

The power of government exists all over these United States. The power of government exists right in the homes and hearts of the people.(8)

The President has no power except that conferred upon him by the Const.i.tution and the laws which the people have adopted. Neither have the Senators, the congressmen, nor the judges any power except that given by the people, and the people at any time can take away any part of the power given. When I say the people, I mean of course all the people. Not that all the people must agree to any law to have it enacted. The majority of the people make the laws as a rule. We shall take this up later and consider it fully. Government is power to exercise authority. Authority is in the people, and the authority of the people is expressed as they want it in laws which they make.

But what is government for? Why have any government?

Government is organized to protect human rights.(9) Perhaps if you were a giant possessed of wonderful wisdom you would not need any law to protect your rights because you would be big enough, powerful enough, and wise enough to resist any person who might undertake to interfere with your rights; but we are not all giants and we are not all wise. In fact there are very few giants in the world. It is true, however, that some are bigger and stronger than others; and sometimes these big, strong people are selfish, wicked, or envious. They see that a weaker person has something which they want, and being big and strong, if there were no law to restrain them, they would take it.

Now if you have a bicycle and some full-grown, strong, brutal man were to come into your yard, take your bicycle, and start away with it, what would you do? You might protest. You might beg him not to take your property, but this would probably do no good. A thief does not stop when he is asked to by the owner of the property he is stealing, nor is a thief influenced by the fact that his act is wrong. In fact doing wrong is the business of a thief.

So there being many strong people in the world and many weak people, many wise people, and many simple people, the full grown and the children, and many, many people who are not guided by rules of right or morality or justice, you can see how necessary it is that someone shall provide rules and regulations under which the weak, the simple, and the young may be protected from the strong, the brutal, and the wicked who would deprive their neighbors of their rights or their property, simply because they had the power to do it. This is what the government does.

There have been times in the world, hundreds and thousands of years, during which the strong governed the weak, made the weak their slaves, took from the weak the earnings of their toil; but our government exists for the very purpose of restraining the strong and protecting the weak, so that their rights are equal. Every man is free and no man is a slave.

Therefore always keep in mind that the purpose of government is to protect the people of all cla.s.ses and ages so that, so far as possible, all may be equal in their right to do the things they want to do, own the things they want to own so far as they are able to produce or procure them, think the things they want to think, and speak the things they want to speak. In other words, _government is to protect our freedom against the wrongs of others_.

Now we must not have the notion in our mind that the government has anything to do with who shall work, or who shall play, or who shall idle.

Occupations in life are not selected by the government. Each person determines this for himself. That is one of the privileges which we have in a free country, to select our own occupations; and as you go through life you will find that what appear to be the higher or better occupations are usually earned by industry, faithfulness, and honesty.(10)

I am going to talk to you some day about occupations in life so that you will understand that our place in life is selected by ourselves, determined by our efforts and our conduct. I want you to start out in life with such a knowledge of these things that you will never blame your country if you do not like your job.

_But how did our government come into existence? What was the beginning?_ Well, it is all very simple if we only get right down to elementary principles, if we only "begin at the beginning". Perhaps your father is a Woodman, or an Odd Fellow, or a Knight of Columbus. Perhaps he is a member of the American Federation of Labor. Perhaps your mother belongs to the Eastern Star, or the P. E. O. society. Perhaps you belong to some school fraternity, debating society, or neighborhood club, the Boy Scouts, or the Camp Fire Girls.

Now let us go back a few years. None of these societies were in existence.

Where did they come from? One day, years ago, a few men and women, or boys and girls, met perhaps in some home, or the office, and talked over the plan which perhaps had been suggested by some one present at the meeting.

After discussion, it was decided to form an organization. I have no doubt that most of you have had such an experience. The beginning of each society was merely an idea in the mind of some one. He or she talked of it to some one else, and the discussion extended until enough of interested persons came together to complete an organization and give it a name.

What was the first step in perfecting the society or organization? It was the preparation of a written statement of the purposes and principles of the organization, which is usually called a const.i.tution. When the const.i.tution was completed, usually by a committee, all those about to become members of the society met and talked it over. Changes probably were made and the const.i.tution finally adopted. Probably some voted against it, but those who did vote against it recognized that they should be bound by the judgment and will of the majority.(11)

Laws, or by-laws, as they are generally called, were then adopted to govern the conduct of the members in their relation to each other and to the society. These by-laws have been amended from time to time ever since, and perhaps at all times some of the members have believed that the by-laws should be different, but they have submitted to the will of the majority.

So with the United States. There was a time less than one hundred and fifty years ago when there was no such thing on earth. A comparatively few men, representing the people of the former colonies, decided to form a Nation, and in the Const.i.tutional Convention after months of discussion, the Const.i.tution was adopted, and it was finally ratified by the people of the States. While many persons opposed some of the provisions of the Const.i.tution, all submitted to the will of the majority.

Thereafter, rules of conduct called laws-in your society by-laws-were adopted, and from time to time changed and extended as circ.u.mstances seemed to demand. We are going to talk about these laws in a few days.

But _there is the whole story_. There is the simple beginning of this now great Nation, the most powerful on earth.

So you see there is nothing mysterious about the origin of our Const.i.tution. There is nothing mysterious about the origin or the organization of this government. The important thing to bear in mind is that it was formed by the people for themselves. Humanity, after thousands of years, had reached a point where they refused longer to be governed by a king or similar ruler.

All this will become more clear to you as you understand something of the nature of liberty and of law.

ELEMENTARY QUESTIONS

1. What is the government of the United States? Why isn't the capitol at Washington the government? Why is it impossible to point out the government of the United States upon the map?

2. What is a servant? Describe a servant. Why does the judge say that the President of the United States is only a servant of the people?

3. Was the Kaiser a servant of the German people? Why not?

4. Where does the President get his power? Where do members of Congress get their power? Judges? The Sheriff? The Mayor?

5. If we do not like what our servants do, how can we control them?

6. What is government in a school? In a club? What would it be like if there were no government in either? Name five advantages of having a government.

7. Suppose that you were like Robinson Crusoe, except that five of you were shipwrecked. Would you form a government? Why?

8. If you were tie write a const.i.tution, what would you include?

9. Suppose that a man came into your yard and tried to steal your bicycle, what could you do to protect your rights?

10. Do all people do what they think is right? How can you tell what is right and wrong?

ADVANCED QUESTIONS

A. What is the purpose of government?

B. Why is it wrong for the great and powerful to govern the small and weak? Does might make right?

C. Which would be the better government, one based upon might makes right, or one based upon right makes might? Why?

D. How can right make might?

E. In a free country can the government prescribe what occupations in life the people must follow? How are the higher and better occupations acquired in America?