Gov's job is to govern, not dictate

Editor:

It is time, nay, past time for Gov. Brian Schweitzer to understand that his office is to govern, not to dictate.

I would also remind him that our immigrants departed their various countries to be free from under the authority of eminent domain.

Our forefathers replaced the dreaded power of eminent domain with an allodial system, meaning "free from the tenurial rights of a feudal overlord."

This word is also expressed in another form, allodium, meaning "land owned absolutely; land owned and not subject to any rent or other tenurial right of an overlord."

Our dictatorial governor is not an overlord of the state. Canada must obtain permission from the owner of the property in Montana to start construction of a power line; not from an assumed overlord.

We, in America, are governed by state and federal laws enacted in congresses, not dictated by governors.

People would be willing to negotiate some sort of agreement with a company who wanted to cross their property, but they will not stand idly by because an egotistical governor who believes he has the authority to grant a neighboring country the freedom to use their property as they pleased.

I know not what other land owners would do, but as for me, the first person trying to compel this American citizen to step aside because the governor granted them the authority to invade my domain, would more than likely begin to find his health beginning to deteriorate rather rapidly.

George E. Sexton

Shepherd