Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-18

that any one desired them to be crippled or
curbed. There was not the slightest sug-
gestion of any such thought in my speech.
l assumed that everybody understood the
attitude of our people toward that ques-
ton and | went on to describe how De-
lieved the rights of the states should be
protected. | said that 1t must be done
through an awakened sense on the part OF
the states of their obligations to the coun-
try at large: that the states should shape
their legislation and administer their gov
ernments not only for local affairs ana
local convenience. but with reference to the
effect upon all the other states. l asserted
that the responsibility and obligations OF
each state toward the others We're precisely
the same as those of the individual toward
the community, and that each state shouih
conduct it's government with reference to
it's sister states, just an individual
should regulate his conduct with reference
to his neighborS.
THE more popuous the community, the
more closely people are brought together,
the more sensitive are they to whatever
happens, hence the greater the responsible
ity and the greater the necessity. Then L
gave some illustrations. l said that no
state had any right by its laws to en-
courage the formation of trusts, contrary
to the interests and the judgment of the
people of the whole country; that no state
had any right to promote over-capltallza-
ton in corporations, which is considered
Injurious to the general welfare; that no
state should permit child labor, which is
shocking TO the sense Oh tudl ~
state should encourage divorce by lax laws
or easy judicial procedure, because such
thing is contrary to national morals and
demoraliZing to our domestic relations. But
so long as such things prevail they VIII
increase the disposition of the people to APP
peal to the general government to exercise
control over matters that have been con-
sidered the exclusive right of the states.
Duties Ignored by the States.
"In conclusion l said that the interven-
ton of the national government in many
Of the matters which it has recently under
taken would have been wholly unnecessary
if the states themselves had been alive to
their duty toward the general body of the
country. 1t is useless for the advocates of
states rights to inveigh against the SUI
premacy of the constitutional laws of the
United States, against the extension OF
national authority in the fields of necessary
control. where the states. themselves fail
in the performance of their duty. The in
stinct for self-goverRment among the peO-
pie of the United States is too strong to
permit them long to respect any ones right
to exercise a power which he fails to exer-
else. The governmental control which they
deem just and necessary they will have. 1t
may be that such control would better be
exercised in particular instances by the
/, governments of the states but the people
will have the control they need. either from
the states or from the national government,
and if the states fail 10 furnish it in due
measure, sooner or later constructions OF
the Constitution will be found to vest the
power where it will be exercised, in the
i national government. The true and only
way to preserve the state authority is to
be found in the awakened interest con-
science of the states, their broadened views
and higher standard of responsibility to the
general public, in effective legislation by
the states In conformity to the general
moral sense of the country and in the
vigorous exercise for the general public
good of that state authority which is to be
preserved.
No Attack on Constitution.
There is no attack upon the Constitution
in all this" continued the Secretary of
State. There is no suggestion of a new
political ISSUE There is no politics in It,
think that everybody will agree with the
facts as stated and as to the danger of tine
tendencies I pointed out. / would not
change word or idea, but if there had
been time / would have amplified my argu-
ments little more. and that would have
made them clearer. But 1t rtems to me
that the people who have been commenting
most freely upon what 1 am accused of
saying, have not read the speech, and there
fore do not know what did say. These
comments are illustration of the careless
ness of current criticism and of certain
tendencies IN human nature. II you warn