The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-13


Elihu Root was the principal guest OF
honor at the eight annual dinner OF the
Pennsylvania society OF New York last
evening at the waldorf-Astoria. More
than 700 members OF the society were pres
ent
Secretary Root. who responded to the
toast, THE United States" declared that
the Intervention OF the National govern
ment In many OF the matters II has re-
Gently undertaken would have been who'll
ly unnecessary If the states themselves
had been alive to their duty toward the
general body OF the country.
1T Is useless, he asserted, for advocates
OF state rights 10 inveigh against the SUI
premacy OF the constitutional laws OF the
United States. or against the extension
OF national authority In the fields of nee
essary control. where the states them
selves fail in the performance OF their
duty. lie added that the instinct of self
government among the people is too
strong TO permit them to respect anyone's
right TO exercise power which he falls
10 exercise. Secretary Root said
"The lines Of trade, OF financial opera
tion, OF social intercourse, OF thought
and opinion. that radiate from the great
centres OF life In our country, such as
Boston and New York and PHILADELPHIA
and Baltimore and Chicago and St Louis
and New Orleans and San Francisco and
many another great city. are perfectly re-
gardless or state distinctions Our whole
life has swung away from the old state
centres, and is crystallizing ABOUT national
centres; the farmer harvests his grain
and fattens his cattle, not as formerly.
with reference to the wants OF his home
community. but for markets thousands
of miles away; the manufactures operates
his mills and his factories to meet the
needs OF far-distant consumers; the mer-
chant has his customers in many states:
all look for the supplies OF their food and
clothing TO the resources OF the whole
continent. In the wide range OF daily life
and activity and interest the old lines
between tho states and the old barriers
which kept the states as separate COM
munities are completely lost from sight
The growth Of national habits in the daily
ne OF homogeneous people keeps pace
with the growth of national sentiment.
POLITICAL CHANGES TOO.
'Such changes in the life of the people
cannot fail 10 produce corresponding po-
litical changes. Some OF these changes can
be plainly seen now I'm progress IL is
plainly 10 be seen that the people OF the
country are coming TO the conclusion that
In certain important respects the local
laws OF the separate states, which were
and control of the business which was
transacted and the activity which began
and ended within the limits OF the several
states, are inadequate for the due and
just control OF the business and activities
which extend throughout all the states.
and that power OF regulation and control
Is gradually passing into the hands OF the
national government.
Sometimes by an assertion OF the in
,1tf, l.x.
an assertion Of the taxing power, the ma
tional government is taking up the per-
formance of duties which under the
changed conditions the separate states
are no longer capable OF adequately per-
forming. The federal antitrust law, the
anti-rebate law. the railroad rate law.
the meat inspection law. the oleomarga-
rine law. the pure food law are examples
OF the purpose OF the people OF the
United States 10 do through the agency
Of the national government the thing
which the separate state governments
formerly did adequately but no longer ad-
equately.
END NOT IN SIGHT.
"The end Is not yet. The process that
interweaves the life and action OF the
people In every section OF our country
with the people in every other section
continues and will continue with increas-
ing IorCe ana erect We are SurBlnR Tor
ward in a development of business and
social life which tends more and more
TO the obliteraton OF state lines and the
decrease of state powers as compared
with national power; the relations OF the
business over which the federal govern
ment is assuming control. Of interstate
transportation with state transportation,
OF interstate commerce with state COM
merce are so intimate and the separation
Of the two is so impracticable that the
tendency is plainly toward the practical
control of the national government over
both.
New projects Of national control are
mooted: control OF insurance. uniform di-
vorce laws, child labor laws and many
others affecting matters formerly entirely
within the cognizance of the state are
proposed.
Il submit TO your judgment, and l de-
sire TO press upon you with all the
earnestness l possess, that there is but
one way in which the states Of the Union
can maintain their power and authority
under the conditions which are now be-
fore us, and that way Is by an awaken
ing on the part of the states TO a realiza-
ton OF their own duties to the country
at large. Under the conditions which now
exist no state can live unto itself alone
and regulate It's affairs with sole refer
,nca nuo traa oWn Con-