New-York tribune., 1906-12-18
STATE AND NATION.
Republic Called Fruit of T10enty-fUe
Centuries of Experience.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: This federal republic of ours is the fruit
of twenty-five centuries of human experience.
Philosophers always believed the republic to be
the ideal form of government. But when the idea
came TO be put in practice it was found to be
peset by two dangers-one of falling into an
archy through weakness of the central power.
the other of reverting to monarchy through too
much Capitalization. Every republic of ancient
| times and of the Middle Ages succumbed to one
or the other of these dangers. At last the prob
lem slowly but surely evolved solution up in
the mountains of Switzerland The mOuntaineers
were living in cantons. differing in origin, Ian
guage and religion. but each having it's local
self-government and all loving freedom and in
dependence They formed a military league for
defence against invaders. Then they enlarged
its scope so to embrace foreign relations,
| trade and other mutual interests. So arose the
little mountain republic. standing serene and
conquerable upon it's Alpine heights for five
hundred years, amid the clash of surrounding
Kingdoms and the wreck of falling empires.
On this side of the Atlantic somewhat similar
conditions existed. There were thirteen colonies.
differing in origin and history. with varying
ligious and political opinions jealous of their
spective rights but all desirous of freedom. in
dependence and self government. They organ
ized a military league achieved independence by
it, and then sought to enlarge it's scope They
tried confederation and finally agreed upon
federal constitution. The trainers of that con-
stitution carefully reserved TO the states their
pOweD to protect life liberty and property, and
to promote enterprises -ithin their borders; and
gave TO the general government the control of
commerce and foreign relations and the mainte
nance of relations between the states. In all
things they adhered to the fundamental princi-
pie that this not merely a nation, but
great republic. formed by the combination of
smaller They took pains TO reassert this
principle in the national motto e PIuribus
Unum." and TO embody it in the national flag of
stripes and stars.
The balance of power was we'll adjusted, but,
of course, regarded differently by different
minds The first division into political parties
was between those who feared the central gov
ernment would get too much, and those who
feared it would have too little. But all recog-
nized the necessity of preserving both state
and national powers. Jefferson happily ex-
pressed it. when he said: I'VE all Federalsts
and all Democrats" So we have gone on for
over a century trying to keep the balance ad-
Justed to meet varying conditions Once the as
sertion of state rights in contrayentiOn of
tional ones plunged us into civil Since that
war demonstrated national supremacy the ten
dency has been in the direction of charging
the national field of operations and strength
ening the national defence. 1t would be mis-
take to assume that this is done by diminishing
the rights of the states. our commerce and
our foreign relations were originally placed in
the hands of the central government, though
they have grown enormously since. The nation
Is growing because the states growing. The
states hold their original powers, but they have
a far wider range for their exercise and they
have more than trebled in number The govern
ment of this state of New York has o-day to
deal with population greater than that Of all
the original thirteen colonies Its revenues it's
farms, its factories, its towns and cities. have
all been amplif1ed. requiring courts. new
laws and new methods of administration
1t IS not wise to be hasty in removing an
Client landmarks. Even that SimuaCrum of an
Electoral College which is decried as being out
grown and cumbrOus, has it's usefulness. 1t
serves at least as reminder once in four years
lest forget" that do not elect our
Presidents merely by whirl of popular ex-
citement. but by the combined action of the
states that make up the federal Union.
We shall be safe long remember
that both a nation of men and a COM
bination of free and independent states" and
that therein lies the secret of enduring
greatness. FREDERICK w. SEWARD.
Montrose-on-th the-HudsOn, Dec. Ii, 1906