The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-26
tional or moral evidence to show that he was not fully qualified to retain his
A PIPE DREAM.

in what we may look on as pipe dream, although we admit that his mo- tives are all right. He has introduced a bill providing that delegates be ap- pointed from all the States to meet in New York to formulate a scheme of uniform legislation. The conference is scheduled for next October and three delegates arc invited from each State who will be entertained at the expense of the State of New York. An appro- priation of s6o,0o0 has been provided in the bill for the purposes of such hospitality. Among the topics that are suggested for discussion are fire and fife insurance companies, divorce, la bor, public utilities and intrastate com merce--interstate commerce having no proper place in the program.
 In explaining the purport Pf his bill the author of the measure saiS that the increasing trespass of the Federal au- thorities-Congress and the depart ments-upon the sovereignty of the va rious States made 1t imperative that the States should recognize the mem ace and take steps to guard against it. In his words it Is mot a question of State rights, but rather one of preserv- ing in its integrity the sovereignty of the States in those matters which are properly theirs to control" The whole scheme appears to be to awaken in the States themselves a realization of how far the President and Congress have gone and are going in the usurpa- tion of the rights, powers and privi- legcs guaranteed to the States by the Constitution of the United States.''
 This, we repeat, is based on the right conception, but it is a dream that has but little hope of realization. No intelligent man can read of what Is continually transpiring without knowing that this New York man is correct. No good American should fail 10 see that the continual encroachment on the rights of the States is a menace to our form of Government as well as to the liberties of the people. The President Is reckless and overbearing when II comes to the exercise of ex-
  views or policies. and Congress too often suffers itself persuaded, cajoled or bullied into following his demands.
 While all this is true, 1t Is equally true that the scheme is so nearly im- possible that it may as we'll be re- garded as entirely so. To begin with, it Is not presumable that all the forty five States of the Union would send properly-accredited delegates to New York for such a purpose. Then 1t is not to be supposed that all these dele gates could agree on any plan that would be acceptable to all. Finally, we cannot imagine that all the States would conform to the conventions plan, even if that body should agree on one An uniform system of laws enacted and enforced in all the States is impossible, it matters not what the subject of such laws may be: hence, the New York Utopian Is wasting his time.
 It is not to be denied that there ought to be more agreement and uni formity on the part of the States as to certain matters of legislation. Prom inent among these are the subjects of marriage and divorce, the laws govern ing which ought to be uniform through out the Union. The wide difference in State laws on both these subjects is too well known to be disputed. and there are other matters on which each State legislates for itself in its own way, and which would be much better managed if the laws of the various States agreed. We fully agree with the New York man as to the dangers of which he speaks. but do not believe in his proposed remedy as practical relief.