The National tribune., 1907-02-28
TIME TO ASSERT STATES RIGHTS.

tion toward the Capitalization which
has heeE-so popular of late years. The
exatt bounds between the rights of the
State aud those of-the Government. is
shifting line which must vary from
time to time as new conditions arise.
Lieut.-Gov. Sherman. who has a high
reputation as a Republican leader in
Illinois, says in an interview which is
being widely copied:
"It strikes me that the time has come
when the people ought to be reverting
to first principles. 1t is not a popular
thing to talk of States rights. but in
view of some of the things going on at
Washington, It is we'll to remember
that such thing exists. end that n
proper observance of the lights of the
varinus States is absolutely essential 20
our form of Government.
We are rapidly developing dispo-
sition to carry all our broken furniture
TO the Government shop instead of
men,iins it ourselves, and this disposi.
ton is developing a disposition at
Washington to regulate and supervise
eyer. thing from the size of our fami-
lies 10 the copy in our spelling books.
Some day we will be sorry for this.
II am in favor. right now. Of serving
notice upon the National Government
that 1t must do business within its own
sphere. and this ought to be done thru
the Republican Senators in Washing
ton. Tile proposition that the National
Government. thru its treaty-making
power. shall set up a law in opposition
to the law of sovereign State In re-
gard to purely local matter Is partieu-
lariy reprehensthle. 1t should not be
thought of, and the Senator who would
vote for treaty Of that sort ought to
be called home by his constituents
Much that the Lieutenant Governor
says is entirely correct. but many things
are not The war for the suppression
of the rebellion was only against one
| obnoxious feature of States rights. or
what was claimed to be States rights.
The advocates of secession claimed that
the States were sovereign and indepen-
dent. and that the United States was
only n league entered into among them
for certain purposes,and that this league
could be dissolved at the pleasure of
the States. The war merely settled that
tbs was Nation. not a league, and
that the agreement entered into at the
time of the adoption of the Constitu-
ton could not be broken at will by one
of the parties to it. 1t required the
consent of all.
Beyond the assertion of the suprc-
macy of the United States in all things
specified in the Constitution and the
perInanency of the Union. the rights
of the States were left untouched. 1t
Is absolutely necessary for the proper
administration of our Government in
harmony with the spirit of It's institu-
tions and for complete Justice, that
Staes' Rights should be constantly as.
serted 20 the utfermost and only modi-
fed where that Is necessary for the
good of the whole people. For exam
pie. Indiana should have the most abso-
| lutte control over her railroads. SO far
as tEey relate to the people of Indiana.
and everything connected with their
| management and with their service to
the people of that State should be regu-
lated inside the State. where everything
is near at hand and people can obtain
SPEEDY remedy for any injustice. That
is legitimate and proper States Rights.
On the other hand, Indiana lies direct
ly across the great thruroutes of travel
and riilHons of people every year must
pass thru the State to whom Indiana |.
mercy an incident. Indiana means
| simply to them SO many miles of trav-
ell The United States Government
should have control of the railroads in
! their larger capacity-that of thru
routes-because this is something that
This dual control is matter of the
| highest Importance. and the lines sep,
arating the proper functions of the
| State from those of the Government in
the management of the railroads must
all the time be shifting and somewhat
changing conditions.
| It would be a great misfortune, al
well as violation of the spirit Of oul
institutions, IL Indiana's control of hel
railroads. so far as they relate to hel
own people. was in the least abrogated
India1ians should stubbornly resist an,
attempt upon the States rights in thi,
matter. At the same time a man wht
wants TO go from New York to Chicago
or from Washington to st. Louis, ol
| from Philadelphia to Omaha, has tn,
| right. to expect the United States Gov
ernment to see that no obstacles ar,
/ thrown in the way of his journey b,
any ebullitton in Indiana. This dis
tinction runs all thru our commercial
business and social lives. The stron.
tendency of late years to centraliz
everything in Washington should be re
strained by a return to a study OF tn
relations of the States and the spirit O
our institutions. In many things tn
control by the United States Govern
ment is highly desirable ard generally
advantageous. but on vast number O
} other things it IS very essential that tn
/, full powers of the State be exercised.
: There have been entirely too man
. criminal cases. for example. taken T.
: the United States Supreme Court. !
/ was intended by the Fathers of ou
: Government that every State shouI
have fun and final control of the admin
istration of Justice The theory OF tn
Eng'ish-speaking countries is for tn
most absolute home rule in the admin
istrstion of justice in order to proven