The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1907-05-02
Proposed Congress Of Governors.

The public was naturally startled by
the bold declaration of Secretary Root
some weeks ago to the effect that the
national government would be called
upon to correct the evils ignored or
neglected by the individual states. The
speech was. interpreted as a threat of
Capitalization and blow at state
rights Obviously where the states en-
act and enforce wholesome laws, pro-
tecting the citizen in his rights under
the national constitution, the govern
ment at Washington could not reason
ably interfere To do so would be an
act Of usurpation and as such lead to
protest.
Unfortunately for the principle that
the states are the true and proper con
SENATORS Of the rights of the citizen as
national subject, state laws and state
ideals vary Our laws and standards
and ideals are not uniform. Near
neighbors may agree in sentiment, but
they must often differ in practice if the
state line runs between their homes
How to overcome this abnormal fea-
ture of our system of government is q
vital problem. No state can wish to
be selfish and isolated, and no national
administration can desire to WELD alb
solute. power Middle ground is point
ed out in an article contributed re-
Gently to the New York Herald by Will
liam George Jordan. Mr.. Jordan views
this question broadly and thinks the
key to uniformity in laws and har-
nnony in ideas may be had by ma
tlonal congress of governors held an
nually. To quote:
1T Is proposed that the governors Of
tha forty-five states meet annually for a
session Of two to three weeks to discuss
consult and confer on vital questions af-
fecting the welfare of the states the
un3fying of state laws and the closer
unity of the states as nation. The
house Of governors would have no law
making power, nor should it ever aspire
to such power. It's force would be in in
itfative, in inspiration and in influence
The governors would seek to unite on a
general basis of action on great questions
to be submitted to the legislatures Of the
respective states in the governors mes
sages. It would seem that an august,
dignff1ed body of forty-five governors,
representing their states, with the law
making power Of forty-five legislatures
behind them, should in time become an
fOb1 FaNY7% 19A ~, b. A
self government and powerful factor
for good in the nation.
Although novel and perhaps vaguely
theoretical on it's face, Mr. Jordan's
suggestion is amply supported by ex-
perience. This is an era Of congresses
and conferences. Representatives Of
widely separated but yet identical in
terests get together and confer upon
mutual problems. State rivalry where
it runs to the length Of cutthroat COM
petition is an evil, but state emulation
is all right, and state cooperation is
but step in advance Of this. AS Mr..
Jordan observes in the course of his
argument, the governor is a direct rep
resentative Of his people and is a fit
ambassador to present their wishes and
their will before national congress.
To quote further:
The house of governors, even if it were
merely a meeting place for the heads Of
our state governments, would be Of
value, but with regular conferences on
the broad basis of mutual helpfulness in
the unifying of our laws and Of combined
action in staying the insidious invasion of
centralized government, with the sympa-
thy and cooperation Of the people Of the
country and with the lawmaking powers
of the state legislatures led into har-
mony, shamed into activity or forced to
do the peoples will, the house Of govern
ors, 1t would seem, should become in a
few years mighty force in the Ameri-
can government. 1t should give the peo-
pie greater power, strengthen the states
by granting them fuller liberty, unite and
unity them more perfectly and make the
united states more truly the United
States.