The Paducah weekly sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1902-19??, 1906-12-19
Many of His Critics Did Not
Read His Speech
Does Not Attack Constitution, Nor
Dual Form of Government in
This Country.
MERELY HISTORICAL REVIEW


nual dinner of the Pennsylvania So
ciety in New York, says William T.
Curtis, in the Chicago Record Her
aid. last Wednesday night has ere
ated an almost universal sensation
Throughout the country and has
been favorably or unfavorably COM
mented upon by almost every news
paper. Statesmen and semi-statesmen
have been interviewed about Il and
have expressed opinions OF more or
less Importance.
Secretary Root said yesterday in
reply to a question: "Of course,
am surprised at the cutlery. have re-
ceived large number OF letters and
have read a large number of inter-
views with people who evidently
have not seen my speech and do not
have the slightest comprehension of
what said. Most OF the letters, how
ever are of approval
at was not constitutional speech
| discussed no questions of constltu-
tional law or constitutional rights:
certainly did not rip the constitu-
ton up the back as has been assert
ed. II was a historical review follow
cd by certain differences as to what
will be the future of the United
States under our dual form of con-
stitutlonal government.
"All these causes have resulted in
a change of habits OF thought. In a
rearrangement OF business methods
and social customs, as distinct as the
departure from the post chaise pc
Rod to the limited express and the
Automobile.
The process that interweaves the
life and action OF the people In ev-
cry section of our country with the
people in every other section contin-
ues and will continue with increasing
force and effect. We are forging for
ward in development OF business and
social life that tends more and more
to the obliteration of state lines and
the decrease OF state power as COM
pared with nationjal power. The
relations OF the business over which
the federal government Is assuming
control: of interstate transportation,
with state transportation. of inter-
state commerce with state commerce.
are so intimate. and the separation
of the two is so impractlcable, that
the tendency Is plainly toward the
practical control of the national gov
eminent over both.
The changed conditions In the
sentiments and business and social
habits of the country, said" con-
tlnued the secretary. could not fail
to produce corresponding changes In
our politics and system of govern
ment. and those changes are plainly
to be seen. The people of the United
States are tending steadily to do
through national agencies many
things which were formerly done
through state agencies; and to do
for the entire country what the state
formerly did for separate communi-
ties. illustrated this tendency by re-
ferring to the antitrust act the rail-
road act, the anti-rebate law, the OIL
eomargarlne law, the law for meat
inspection, the pure food act and
other legislation"
81 asserted that one OF the most
important questions before the Am
erlcan people today Is, How can the
power OF the states be preserved? p
I did not even intimate that anyone
desired them to be crippled or curb
ed. There was not the slightest sug-
gestion of any such thought in my
speech. assumed that everybody I'M
derstood the attitude of our people
toward that question, and ! went on
to describe how ] believed the rights
OF the states should be protected.
"In conclusion, said that the In
PREVENTION Of the national govern
ment in many of the matters which
II has recently undertaken would
have been wholly unnecessary II the
states themselves had been alive to
their duty toward the general body
of the country. II Is useless for the
advocates of states rights to In
weigh against the supremacy Of the
constitutional laws OF the United
States or against the extension OF
national authority in the fields Of
necessary control, where the states
themselves fail in the performance
OF their duty.
There is no attack upon the con-
stitution in all this" continued the
secretary of state. "There is no sug-
gestion of new political issue
There is no politics in 1t. | think that
everybody will agree with the facts
as stated and as to the danger of the
tendencies I have pointed out.
would not change a word or an idea
but IL there had been time ] would
have ampli1ed my arguments a lit
tie more and that would have made
Them clearer"
|