LEARN BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO TEACH.
By W. N. G.
The League for Social Service, one of the societies comprising the National Reform combination—practically a trust for the advancement of the interests of Church and State union in the United States—publishes leaflets entitled “Good Citizenship Series.” No. 9 of the series proposes a system of education in the line of knowledge concerning our system of government. It suggests that “each school in the nation meet in a large hall once a week, and, after other proper patriotic exercises, have a little catechism.” Here is a specimen lesson:— “Question—Who is above the postmaster?
“Answer—The Postmaster-General.
“Q.—Who is above him?
“A.—The President.
“Q.—Who is above the President?
“A.—The Supreme Court.
“Q.—Who made the Supreme Court?
“A.—We, the people of the United States. We made the nation, and we rule it.” Where did the League for Social Service learn that the Supreme Court is “above the President”? If that body would formulate catechisms for school-children on the subject of our form of government, it would better learn that the judicial arm of the government is only co-ordinate with the executive and with the legislative departments. It is quite common to speak of the Supreme Court as “the highest authority in the government,” and from this expression, so often erroneously employed, many people suppose that this court is above everything else in the line of authority. But it is only the highest authority in its particular department, as the President is in the executive department. Andrew Jackson demonstrated that the Supreme Court was not above him. That court had rendered a decision that the National Bank Law was constitutional, but when its charter expired, a bill providing for its extension was vetoed by the President, on the ground that it was unconstitutional. He declared that the President was sworn to support the Constitution, and that meant as he himself understood it, and not as interpreted by the Supreme Court or any other body. That portion of the people who urge upon Congress and the State Legislatures the duty of inserting religious obligations and requirements in the civil law, are especially solicitous about the authority of the Supreme Court since that body promulgated the dictum that “this is a Christian nation.” They are particularly anxious to have recognized as the head of the government the one department that is inclined to give their Church and State doctrines all the encouragement within its power. And when this shall have been accomplished, the people will have to submit to the judicial oligarchy, and the theory that they rule the nation will be theory only; for if the Supreme Court be above the President, the chief executive of the people, logically it must be above the people themselves. Then where does the people’s rule come in? It will be a sad day for the nation when the League for Social Service shall have been assigned the position of instructor of the theory of government in all the schools. Government “of the people, by the people, for the people,” will then be a thing of the past. W. N. G.