The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-04

crisis of our government the attitude
of Pennsylvania has been OF crucial
Importance las the affectiOnate nick
name of keystone State" signifies.
Pennsylvania has always lookt
warily before she leapt, and it was
we'll that she should do so. But hav-
ing finally made up her mind. in each
great crisis of our national history,
her weight has been cast unhesitat-
ingly upon the right side. and has
been found irresistible. This was true
alike at the time of the declaration
of independence. at the time of the
adoption of the constitution. and dur
ing the terrible years when the issue
was the preservation of the union.
Pennsylvania soil is historic. 1t
was within Pennsylvania borders
that the contest opened which was
to decide whether the valiant soldiers
.of France would be able to bar this
continent against the domination of
the English-speaking colonies. 1t was
on Pennsylvania soil that the de-
claration of independence was signed
and the constitutional convention held.
1t was in Pennsylvania that Washing
ton wintered at Valley Forge. and by
keeping his army together during that
winter definitely turned the scales
in our favor in the contest for indie
pendence. 1t was again on Pennsyl-
vania's soil. at Gettysburg. that the
tide turned in the civil war. In the
composition OF her people, moreover,
Pennsylvania has epitomized the COM
position of our Union; for here many
Old World races have mingled their
blood to make that new type. the
American. Finally. in all branches
of the public service, in peace and in
war. the native or adopted citizens
of Pennsylvania have attained the
highest eminence.
81 do not. however. come here today
to speak only of the past. and still
less to appeal merely to state pride.
We can show that the past is with us
a living force only by the way in
which We handle ourselves in the pres
ent, and each of us can best show his
devotion to his own state by making
evident his paramount devotion to
that union which includes all the
states. The study of the great deeds
of the past is OF chic favail in so far
as it incites us to grapple resolutely
and effectively with the problems of
the present We are not now men,
aced by foreign war. Our union is
firmly established. But each gener-
alton has its special and serious diff
ficulties: and we of this generation
have to struggle with evils springing
from the very material success of
which we are so proud. from the very
growth and prosperity of which. with
Justice, We boast. The extraordinary
industrial changes of the last half cen
fury have produced a totally new set
of conditions, under which new evils
flourish; and for these new evils new
remedies must be devised.
Some of these evils can be grappled
with by private effort only: for we
never can afford to forget that in the
last analysis the chief factor in per-
sonal success, and indeed in national
greatness. must be the sturdy. self
reliant character of the individual
citizen. But many of these evils are
of such nature that no private effort
can avail against them These evils,
therefore, must be grappled with by
governmental action. In some cases
this governmental action must be ex-
ercised by the several states indi-
vidually. In yet others it has become
increasingly evident that no efficient
state action is possible. and that we
need thru executive action thru legis-
lation, and thru judicial Interpretation
and construction of law. to increase
the power of the federal government.
If We fail thus to increase it, We
show our impotence and leave our
selves at the mercy of those ingenious
legal advisers of the holders of vast
corporate wealth. who, in the perform
ance of what they regard as their duty
and to serve the ends of their clients
invoke the law at one time for the
confounding of their rivals, and at
another time strive for the nullifca-
rtion of the law, in order that they
themselves may be left free to work
their unbridled will on these same
rivals, or on those who labor for them
or on the general public. In the ex-
se1cise of their profession and in the
5ervice of their clients these astute
lawyers strive to prevent the passage
of efficient laws and to strive to Sc
cure judicial determination of those
that pass which shall emasculate
Etkem. They do not invoke the con-
stitution in order to compel the due
observance of law alike by rich and
poor, by great and small; on the con
trary, they are ceaselessly on the
watch to cry out that the constitution
is violated whenever any effort is
made to invoke the aid of the national
government, whether for the efficient
regulation of railroads. for the eff.
cient supervision of great corpora.
lions, or for efficiently securing
obedience to such law as the nation.
al eight-hour law and similar so.
called tabor statutes"
The doctrine they preach would
make the constitution merely the
shield of incompetence and the ex.
treat it as a justification for refusing
to attempt the remedy of evil, instead
of as the source of vital power neces-
sary for the existence of a mighty and
ever-growing nation.
Strong nationalist tho I am, and
firm tho my belief is that there must
be wide extension of the power OF
the national government to deal with
questions of this kind, freely admit
that as regards many matters of first
rate Importance We must rely purely
upon the states for the betterment OF
present conditions. The several states
must do their duty or our citizenship
can never be put on a proper plane
Therefore 1 most heartily 'congratu-
late the people of the state of Penn
-sylvania on what its legislature, upon
what its government, has accomplish.
ed during this present year. 1t is g
remarkable record of achievement.
Thru your legislature you have
abolished passes; you have placed the