Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-17
EXPANDING FEDERAL POWER.
Significant Incidents Bearing on SEQ
reiaFN ROOt'a speech.


Significant Incidents Bearing on Sec
Rotary Roots Speech.
Press dispatches furnished full report
of Secretary Roots speech on federal au-
thority delivered Wednesday night at the
dinner Of the Pennsylvania society in New
York. But the telegraph omitted the local
atmosphere and its variations the note of
disapproval from corporation magnates and
their significant applause for expressions
antagonizing the views of the secretary,
The scenes as the speech making progressed
are thus sketched by the New York World:
Blihu Root, secretary of state and spokes-
man Of the president of the United States,
gave utterance Wednesday night to an ad-
dress in which he declared that sooner or
later the constitution would be 80 construed
as to obliterate all states rights and vest
the power Of administration in 'the ma
uonal government
1t was in the grand ballroom Of the Wal
dorf-Astoria at the annual dinner Of the
Pennsylvania society, OF which he was the
guest of honor, that this remarkable state
ment was made, His audience, made up o.
some OF the most eminent Americans of the
time, listened to him in silence and witt
dismay manifest on the countenances unit
so much elastic to be stretched at will by
so much elastic to be stretched at win be-
those in temporary authority.
Then broke the storm which had been
moving under the surface all the while.
mo, no, mol" a chorus Of voices shouted
Grem corner Of th9 ball room. - 49,.
Then there was q shuffiing OF feet over
the velvet carpet and rafting of chairs
and glasses. 1t seemed that Root could not
escape insult. ,...
BE calml Don't lose your heads!" a voice
hosrse with intensity called out in the cor
ner whence the first interruption had burst
forth The PonnsyIvanlans got a grip on
themselves that the speaker was their guest
OF honor.
But the denoument Of the night was yet
to come. Root sat down amid a perfume
tory clapping of hands, and in less than a
minute an oppressive silence had fallen
upon everybody. There was a flush on his
cheeks and he hardly turned his head when
the president Of the society, John r. Van
WoFmer, reached over in poiteness and
compllmented him on his address. Root
was evidently thinking very hard.
1t needed someone to save the situation
and there was a murmur Of voices which
brought Mr.. Van Wormer to his feet, He
seemed to sense the resentment in the at
mosphere and he was quick to introduce j..
Hay Brown justice of the supreme court Of
Pennsylvania. II the words OF introduction
had been a fuse to a mine of guncotton
they could not have brought quicker re-
Spouse.
Justice Brown carried the audience away.
Every word OF his seemed 10 have been
planned as an answer and an arraignment
OF everything which the secretary of state
had said His address was response TO
the toast, THE Judiciary" and in declara-
lions whose meaning no man could mistake
he described the function OF the courts OF
the judiciary 1t was the Judiciary which
said to the executives, Thou shalt go thus
far and no further" an utterance which
brought forth cheers.
Yet at the last, when he declared that not
only did the courts give commands 10 in
! dividuals, but even to presidents and con-
crosses" there came an uproar OF huzZas
| and stamping Of feet, The speaker threw
| all his might into these words, even to
| presidents" and the emphasis was not mis-
! understood.
! ]. Pierpont Morgan forgot his dignity in
! the elation of the moment and pounded
! his table with his fist until glasses over
/ turned and the champagne with which they
had been filled went splashing upon every
body near him, Across the table from Mr.