Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-02-28
MIR. ROOSEVELT ON STATES '
RIGHTS

RIGHTS.
II is remarkable that every time the
question of states rights comes to the
front, an idea of force is generated 1t
was supposed that the great Civil War
settled the issue of the rights of q state
tiers affecting the nation for all time to
come but the recent embarrassing con-
troversy over the admission of japanese
to the public schools of San Francisco.
seems to have brought the question to
the front in a form which may recur in
other directions at any time.
President Roosevelt in the course of
his admirable address before the students
of Harvard University took occasion to
speak OF the manner in which state
rights had been invoked in connection
with the control of predatory corpora
tons. He held that many advocate such
rights because they do not venture to
express their real wish, which is that
there shall be no control at all of such
corporations. realizing that it is utterly
impossible for the individual States to
control interstate commerce.
President Roosevelt showed that rs a
matter of fact this attempt TO secure
the control of corporations is an endca-
vor to abolish special privileges. This is
one of the most manifold and far-ramify-
ing evils against which the American
people have to contend. We not only
meet il in connection with transporter
ton; we also encounter it in nearly every
branch OF activity.
Indeed we oven discover the insidious
influence OF special privilege in connec-
ton with our courts and police instltu-
tons. No one who reads the newspapers
can have failed to note how in the Thaw
case privileges have been extended which
would not have been granted to poverty
stricken people; and the prisoners wife
is allowed 10 visit him when the rules
are supposed to exclude visitors from the
cell he occupies. There is a certain
for granted that their great wealth rem
ders them superior to the ordinary run
of mortals even in the matter of free
dom from paying taxes in just proper
ton to their means.
II is to he noted, however. that presl-
dent Roosevelt is making struggle
al ms in
reference on the part OF our federal gov
ernment you'll be supreme. In the case
of the courts or tax-dodgins the people
have it within their power to effect a
remedy whenever IN awakened public
sentiment demands a reform. When d
monopoly in transportation fastens its
octopus-likc hold upon the people or =
beef trust gets absolute control of the
markets there is absolutely no help Tor
the victims except in the prompt and
effective action of our Congress and
President to provide relief.
a moments thought on this subject
will show, therefore, that the new form
in which the plea for State rights pres
ents itself is more far-reaching and in
sdious as regards the masses of our citi-
zens than any that has hitherto con-
fronted Americans. 70 insist that the
State shall control the coal combination
as was ingeniously proposed by a reprcs-
entativc of those who wanted no control
is to argue that the coal barons should
be guaranteed the special privilege Of
whatever prices. eXpedency or their con-
veniencc may dictate To insist that the
control Of corporation problems should
be left to the individual States is to
maintain that an oil monopoly Shall re-
tain the power to fix the price of an abb
solute necessity for millions Of people
and to crush out all opposition. To ar
que that the federal government should
not step in and prevent the establishing
Of an actual consolidation of the great
trunk lines of the country is TO plead
for the continuance of a special privilege
which has enabled transportation cor
porations to gain absolute contro! over
not only the prices but also the actual
ability of farmers in many of the west
ern States to secure any market what
ever
The Japanese incident in san Francisco
directed attention to what appeared 10
be serious international problem. AS
matter of fact however, considerations
in connection with that incident are tri-
vial as compared with the vast problems
involved in the control OF interstate COM
merce in one form and another and here
is where the plea for State rights is now
most to be dreaded and most guarded
against.
REVOLUTION IN THE FIO(R IN