New-York tribune., 1906-12-13
ROOT ON THE FUTURE.
WARNS THE STATES.
Says Federal PoUers Must Increase
If Present Conditions Continue.


me Pennsylvania Society held fits annual din
,er AZ the Waldort-Astoria last night. with
rrnu Root Secretary of State. as its guest OF
so,or Secretary Root had for his subject 1.-The
United States" In his speech he traced the
,,sttsu.ng OF bonds of business and social life
hetxeen state and state, until this country had
becone one great unity. This condition, he
sid had given rise TO the necessity for the
psssing Of The power Of regulation and con-
troJ of much business into the hands Of the fed
erd government
He instanced the Antitrust law. the Anti
penste law the Railroad Rate law. divorce laws
and child labor laws types Of the legisla-
ton which the federal government had TO take
IN and declared that any state which main
ianed views or laws on such subjects contrary
20 the general standard of the nation was only
hsstening the movement for national control
ana the extinction of state control No advocate
Of states rights he said, could inveigh against
The supremacy of the constitutional laws of the
United States or this extension of national
control if the states themselves failed TO perform
their duty.
Several prominent railroad men and bankers
SAT az the table directly facing Secretary Root
ts he was talking about federal control of rail-
roads and the limiting Of over-capitalization OF
clsred that the instinct Of the people of this
country for seif-government was such that they
would not permit anybody to hold rights to
control which he failed to exercise, but. if the
sates failed to govern. would demand the needed
control from the national government. Their
comments on his speech 20 one another cf1arac-
ter1zed Il IS radical
But when the succeeding speaker, J. Hay
Brown, associate justice Of the Supreme Court Of
Pennsylvania, declared that legislatures or exec
utves state or national which tried to overstep
The bounds permitted by the people Were stopped
by the judiciary, they hailed his speech as an
answer 10 Secretary Roots. The contrast In
views presented by the two speeches was marked
indeed, and was commented on freely on every
hand. The apparent controversy was only a
incidence. since each speech had been prepared
in advance, but guests at the dinner who termed
Secretary Roots utterances radical accepted
Justice Browns as giving legal rebuttal TO
nsu. Great applause greeted it. especially when
he Justice said. with marked emphasis:
When. under delegated powers committed 10
the general government, Congress attempts to
oo, even WITH the approval Of the President, what
He people VIII not permit IL to do but one power
oh earth can save The country from the conse-
euences OF legislative wandering beyond con-
tu'uuonal hmits-the federal judiciary.
The dinner was by far the largest ever given
W The society. At least seven hundred guests
"eFe present The dining room was hand
tonely decorated with masses of green's and
huge yellow and white chrysanthernums hung
around The walls. The boxes We're filed with
beautifully gowned women, who applauded the
Speeches quite heartily as the men at the
oinner tables below them. Before the dinner
uiefe was a reception. at which Secretary Root
was introduced TO a great number Of the guests,
e'ef which the diners marched in to their
'oes. the procession headed by the flags of the
society, which always form conspicuous feat
ufe Of the dinner.
J. HampGen Robb. president Of the society.
acted as toastmaster. With him at the table Of
honor We're seated John r. Van Wormer. Fred
enc Wendell Jackson. Francis Key Pendleton.
= T. Darrell, Thomas Lynch Montgomery.
Sshop Talbot. OF Central Pennsylvania, Robert
Z ogden, Major General Frederick Dent Grant.
1Ahu Root Justice J. Hay Brown. Of the Su-
,feme Court Of Pennsylvania; Rear Admiral
soseph p. Coghlan. General Horace Porter. w.
DUueT Duncan. Colonel John ]. McCook, Marion
seroery and The Rev ]. Clayton Mitchell
AFTER toasts had been drunk 10 the President
y ne United States and 10 Pennsylvania. Mr..
1.ODo welcomed Secretary Root. He spoke OF
S-e great services which the Secretary had rem
aefeo 70 This country on his recent trip to South
a-"e'lca He said that everybody understood
-s' Secretary Roots services Were valuable not
my within his own department. but as coun-
F4or 10 The President on things outside that
oeTartment
~ these times Of great unrest" said Mr..
,n ,Oon Il surely Is a matter Of great congratu-
,'h 10 The country that such a man as Mr..
'''' Is the chief adviser Of the President"
AIR ROOTS SPEECH.
,Fe;a1y Root then rose 10 respond 10 the
S| The Cnited States" Cheer after cheer
''ed him lie said:
et,nTosa sa,Le.lng peculiarly represents two ancient
ard : ta~ss'lths, each looking back 20 century
~ TIE ~ colonial history before the formation
hair6-ett4 mean Union. each possessed of strong
s0gerft.y ~ derived from the long pracice Of se:1-
raies r+'-t. aio each conspicuous among all the
cor. r.,c tagershtr IN population and wealth, for
&c n. :, and manufacture. for art ana science,
- 1-e priceless traditions or -reht citizens
' Sen'rofiCEs. II seems appropriate 10
tcitiaued seventh page.