The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-03-21
NATION AND STATE
SENATOR HEVERlDoE DEFINES
REPUBLICAN POSITION.
Nations Power Above That Of State
to Right Evil or Secure eene-
III for the Whole Ameri-
can People.

In a printed debate on the subject
OF states rights between Senator
Beverage and William Jennings
Bryan. appearing in the Reader Mag
azine. Senator Beveridge refers to the
recent contests waged by advocates
OF states rights against certain fed
eral legislation the Louisiana State
lottery; the sending OF obscene liter
ature through the mails. the meat bill,
etc. etc. and defines the position OF
the Republican party on future meas
ures as follows:
When an evil OF a benefit Is so
widespread that q Affects so much of
the country as 10 be called national,
the nations power should be equal 10
end that evil or secure that benefit TO
the American people
When an evil or benefit is purely
local and Affects none OF the American
people except that part OF them who
live in the state where the evil exists
or the benefit can be applied and
nowhere else. the state should end
that evll or secure that benefit.
ht 1tOAA ihAHtu ny Alt Rf'A trust
scandal caused the passage of the
pure food bill: and states rights.
though sorely wounded. made little
outcry because IL would have been
most unpopular. You will observe that
states rights Is a very polite creature
and seldom becomes excited for lib
erty. except when some financial in.
Ia 40
OF nationality. States rights Is not
often heard Of, unless financial inter
ests are threatened and not even
then. II the people happen TO be suf-
iiciently aroused against an evil
which nationality will end.
An example Immediately NJ hand:
Child slavery exists In the mining re
gions and In the silk mills OF Pennsyl.
vania. the cotton factories Of the
south. the glass works OF New Jer-
sey and West Virginia. and. indeed. az
numerous points throughout the whole
republic. Scores Of thousands OF IT.
tie children. from Eve 20 IA years OF
age. are compelled to work from ten
20 - hours a day 20 their physical.
mental and moral ruin and the de
generacy OF the race - And now.
behind the mask OF states rights.
the interests profting by child labor
are frantic against the proposed law
prohibiting Interstate commerce IN
the products OF child labor-this. too.
although states rights Is not tech
nlcally touched by the bill. The states
do not and can not stop IT,
Powerful interests which exploit
the people and the nations resources
can more easily handle a smaller pOr-
ton OF the American people for their
purposes than they can handle the en-.
tire 10000. 900 of the people for their
purposes. And n they are defeated in
one state-one small subdivision OF
the American peOple-they always
have a. other chances.
The extent 70 which the Amerl
can people are divided Unto statesl
precisely measures the extent 10
which their power to end abuses is
diminished II is all summed up In
me republics motto. United we
stand. divided we fan
This does not mean destruction OF
the states in their natural spheres Of
action. And their natural spheres OF
action are described by the phrase
local government
IAN this (the growth in population
woven into a unit by railroad tele-
graph and telephone) creates new
problems which the old theory OF
states rights never contemplated. and
new necessities on the part OF the peo-
pie which states rights can not sup
ply. But the peoples problems must
be solved. the peoples necessities sup
piled. Each day makes il clearer that
only the nation can do this That is
why the nation Is doing II. II the
states could do that work better.
nothing could prevent them from do
ing It. It is because the nation is the
only force equal to the daily develop
ing needs of the people that national
ity is developing. and for no sother
reason. In all OF this there is no
harm. but only the welfare OF the
people; for il is merely the people
themselves acting in common for
their common good"
II is understood that in the senti.
ments expressed. Senator Beverage
speaks for the administration.