The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-07-30

Editorial in the New Orleans States
July 20: 1t is freely admitted in official
circles at Washington that the clash be
tween the Federal court and the State
court in North Carolina has produced a
nasty condition of affairs The adj
minstration has reason to fear that
from this condition results may flow
that will spell disaster for the Republi-
can party in the near future 1t is stated
that President Roosevelt is greatly dis
turbed by and dissatisfied with the
manner in which Judge Pritchard has so
precipitately and squarely raised the IS
sue of State rights
While the President has little regard
or respect for the rights Of the States
he can not view with equanimlty the
spectacle of their destruction in high
handed manner that is calculated to in
flame the people and ma Ike such trouble
for his party as may VIZ eek ii complete
ly. 1t was his polio and his pro-
gramne to remove States rights as OBJ
stacles to the extension of the Federal
power by the gentle BIT very effective
process of smothering them by means
Of judicial constructions.
But Judge Pritchard's action in North
Carolina threatens to make States
rights burning issue throughout the
country which has recently had cause to
become alarmed by the constant clatter
and centralizing tendencies of the ad-
ministraton at Washington, which has
kept things in a condition of turmoil for
the last three years without accomplish
ing anything of substantial benefit to
the people. A few years ago it was flip
PANTY asserted that States rights was
a dead question, but evidence is not
wanting that the breath Of a new life
has been placed in its nostrls. 1t is a
very live question at the present time,
for more than a score of the States are
asserting and enforcing their right to
regulate and control the corporate pow
ers within their borders. Even in Mas
sachusetts, where one would suppose
the idea that the States had rights
would be tabooed, the conservative old
Springfield Republican commenting on
the action of Judge Pritchard says:
IF the Federal courts may validity and
with such readiness as has been their
recent pleasure hold up and suspend
State laws ,regulative of corporations
within the State, the States might just
as we'll go out of the governing business
altogether. There would remain to
them few important powers which could
not as well be exercised in the munich
palities under national system of local
government. !"
1t is such expressions OF opinion
heard in his own section of the country
that has, perhaps, caused President
Roosevelt to fear that the issue OF
States rights is pregnant with much
danger for the policies and plans of his
administration, which instead Of ending
in blaze of glory, as he hopes and ex-
poets it will, may be overwhelmed by an
avalanche of popular rage and condem-
nation. But another source of worry
for the President is his knowledge that
in his own party in Congress there is
strong and bitter opposition to him,
and unless he has the support of the
senators and representatives from the
South his most cherished policies which
he desires shall assume the form Of law
will be .ruthlessly slaughtered. Therefore
he has much reason to be apprehensive
Of the nasty condition of affairs in
North Carolina for the making of which
the responsibility rests will, Federal
Judge whom he appointed and who ap-
parently has imbibed contempt for the
rights of a sovereign State from the
lips of his political creator.