Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-02-22


politics will grow more and more national
for half Il century and more.
This has been inevitable. since the in
crease OF facility of communication On
that facility has followed emigration from
state to state, so that each state now has
many citizens who are born in other states.
ana have the traditions of other states i'm
mind. As it now is, many citizens of Con-
necticut and New Jersey spend their wax
ing hours working in the city of New York
1t Is impossible, under such conditions to
awaken much special interest in the politics
OF one state or another. Interest in nation
nj politics sweeps away or overpowcrs the
issues OF state politics.
Aud, also, as the nation really becomes
one body. instead of being iorty-f four bod
les, it is desirable that many matters should
he settled by uniform national law and not
left to the variations of state statutes and
courts n uniform bankrupt law. uni
form marriage and divorce law suggest
themselves of course to the people of ma
| ton who have tested and proved the value
of a uniform postal law. uniform tariff,
and a uniform currency
When the Constitution was made and the
nation born, there was great jealousy be-
| tween state and state. Every effort was
made in the Constitution to satisfy this iea-
ouSy 10y adjustments between commercial
states and agricultural states bet ween large
states and small OF these iealousies the
| enigrants from Europe know nothing
They do not understand their origin and
cannot even pretend to take an interest in
them. Such man moves from Boston to
Albany. and does not so much as know that
the law above BIN has changed. Probably
ne means to do right, and generally does
right, So that there is no occasion that he
should know that the law has changed He
knows he is citizen of the nation called the
IT nted States - But he neither knows
nor cares anything about the traditions or
peculiaritics of the State of Massachusett,
or Of New York He would as soon call
fowl chicken because he lives in New
y ork, rs adapt himself to any traditions of
the politics of the Clintons or the Burrs He
continues to say chicken. because he is
citizen Of the United States, quite indiffer-
cnt to local custom. And for the same rea-
son, SO long as he is an emigrant, that is
Tor one generation and most of two the
citizens whom we receive from Europe are
interested III national politics with zeal
which quite Overpowers their interest in
state politics.
THE DRIFT TOWARD NATIoNALIsM.
This unfortunate name has been chosen
by the ''Friends of government to de-
scribe their wish that the State or nation
should undertake many enterprises which
nre now in the hands If strong corpora
tions.
Inc name is unfortunate. because il seems |
to IMPLY wish that the United States AS a |
nation should take the duties of the separate |
states. W It'll this matter, nationalism So |
called, has nothing to do
The DRIFT of opinion in the next 80 years |
in America will be in favor of the assump- |
ton by the administrations of cities. of
states and of the nation, of duties now dis |
charged by individuals or corporations
The drift has been that way for 2J3 Years.
and 1t Will not stop to-day or Tomorrow
The steps in this direction are suggested in |
the following calendar:
1G2l-1G3l The public recorded all deeds |
and wills and kept records. This is not a
matter for the Individual in America
1854. The public provided all education
From the beginning the public provided |
II roads
lf6O-or thereabout-the public provided |
pill light house service
IO3O-and alWays-every man must serve |
)n occasion in the army
From 1853, tine public carries ali mails |
ma distributes, all letters
From the beginning the public is response
lie Tor the relief of poverty and the suppress
ion of disease
From the beginning of street lighting the
public lights the streets
From the beginning of ameducts fine
ubhc furnishes water.
From lS2O down, the public furnishes
ire departments
The principle seems to be this; When n
heed is a need which evervholy feels. or as
1natore says, almost ever. ,lv''-the
ublc undertakes the charge 1t establishes
he administration. as of sewage water. re
loval OF refuse, vaccinations paving. light
houses, mails, schools, roadwavs. probate.
transfer of property. 1t does this because
Vefyhody' or almost everybody needs
heSe resources. 1t l. true that blind man
not helped by the street lights. and n ,caf
nan does not hear the public clock strikel2
'ut the law cannot care for trifies .'Al
lost everybody" needs these resources
- soon rs II appears that everybody, or
almost everybOdy' needs in the same wav
ne telegraph and telephone, railway travel
ack and forth, education for trades fine
III, the languages or metaphysics, needs coal |
the minimum price, or bread or butter at
lc minimum price, the public will under
axe the necessary enterprises. precisely as
now carries the mails. But it will not do
us while these enterprises only serve a
ass IN the community.
THE GOVERNMENT OF CITIES.
The government of elite, promises TO be
lore scientific than it now is, as fifty years
by This means that the public, which
oes not mean to be fooled and which
not fooled much in the long run
Ill insist ON having teachers who can
ach, PAYERS who can pave, lighters who
IN light and policemen who can police It
the habit of pessmists to say that all city
pvernment under Democraces is bad This
not true. The fire service of American
ties is generally good. The water service
generally good, The public schools are
enerally ON a standard quite as high as
be private schools Here are three
partments of service which cover nine
nths Of the expenditure made by cities.
H. .