New-York tribune., 1906-07-30
INEFFICIENT STATES.

A great deal is heard from opponents of pro-
gressive policies about the growth of centralized
power and the usurpatOns of the national gov
'ernment Some of the most extreme expOnents
OF state rights doctrines at this day are per
sons who are particularly careful to prevent the
states from exercising those precious rights.
The benefciaries of Iawlessness rather than the
honest believers in the old Jeffersonian theory
are chiefly concerned lest the federal govern
ment get too strong The South on the whole,
takes a reasonable view of the growing power of
the national government 70 deal with national
problems We have not for a long time how
ever, seen so frank and sane reputation of
the arguments which the defenders Of abuses
clOthe in the language of traditional Southern
doctrine. in the effort to array that region
against Republican reforms at Washington as
that made by THE New Orlesns TimesDemO-
crat." in an article pointing out that criticism
Of administrative policies of officials at Wash
ington is legitimate, but confusion Of their acts
with the national system itself and criticism
of that system are not legitimate. II objects to
petulant faultfinding with the Washington gov
ernment as the Washington government points
out that the policies advocated at Washington
rarely tend to impair the powers of the states.
and concludes:
Why then should we perslstently and per-
petually quarrel with Washington? Why should
of the states exclusive constitutional domain
when there is invasion, either actual or con-
StructiVe? If the power of the states states
for good has waned; il the states have lost
the proud position they once held in the Re-
public, the forces, we believe which have
wrought this change may be found within the
states. Washington. certainly, Is not to blame
for the manifold political and social ills which
afilict the states of the Union. The sins of
Washington are ample and diScouraging; but
surely should not seek to force upon the
national government sins of commission and
omission properly chargeable to the states
Let us drop the foolish quarrel with Wash
ington. MiSSisSppi's larger and more intimate
at Montgomery and Louisiana's at Baton
Rouge; in a word, we have greater reason to
fear the weakness Of state institutions than we
have TO fear the strength of the washington
dure grow out of the ineffciency of state adj
ministratOns. We have nothing to fear from
the spirit Of nationalism which has made Of
the Washington government a strong power for
we have much to fear from the ineficiency and
decadence of our local institutions. The state
is the real and pressing problem.
There is much truth in this. While certain
range of national legislation which once would
have been thought beyond the federal sphere
has been made necessary by the evolution Of
national life and business methods, so that
the best local legislation would prove made
quate. there is no doubt that the national gov
ernment is forced to many other activities
merely because the states are inefficient There
is far less disposition to assume new duties at
Washington than there is even among apostles
Of state rights to neglect duties at state capitals
and demand that the United States government
save them from the consequent evils.