Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-29
ROOSEVELT ON
TWILIGHT ZONE
Gov. Cutler Brings Home Sum-
mary Of important Speech on
State and National Rights.
CURBING BIG CORPORATIONS.
The President Would Employ state or
National Power Indincrcniiy
TO Accomplish II.

From Washington Gov. Cutler has
brought with him an abstract of an ex-
temporaneous speech made to the con-
yention of governors on the subject OF
The Twilight Zone" between state ana
federal governments,
In this speech, President Roosevelt
outlined what he was seeking in his
activities, and did It in a way to show
that the law of the courts had prestige
with him only so far as 1t recorded
good economic law, and that once in
conflict with this underlying law he
was ready to oppose it.
MY primary aim in the legislation |
have advocated" said President Roose-
welt, for the regulation of the great
corporations has been to provide some
effective popular sovereign for each
corporation, do not wish to keep this
twilight land one of large and vague
boundaries by judicial decisions in that
given case the state cannot act and
then Jew years later by other deci-
sions tt in practically similar cases
the Macon cannot act either.
u am trying TO find out where one
or the other can act so there shall al
ways be some sovereign power that
on behalf of the people can hold every
big corporation. every big individual,
to an accountability so that its or his
acts shall be beneficial to the people as
a whole.
In matters that relate only to the
people within the state, the course of
the state Is to be sovereign, and it
should have the power to act. IL the
matter is such that the state itself can
not act. then / wish on behalf of all
the states, that the national govern
ment should act
Take such a matter as charging a
rent for waterpoWer.
My position is simply that where a
privilege that may be of untold value
if asked from the federal government
then the federal government should put
into that grant a condition that 1t shall
not be a grant in perpatuity. If there
IS necessity for the grant then there
must be power to attach conditions to
the grant.
Make II long enough so that the cor
poration shall have ample material re-
ward, The corporation deserves it,
Give an ample reward to the captain of
industry but not an indeterminate and
Infinite reward. Put in a provision that
would enable the next generation--that
would enable our children at the end of
certain specified period to say what
in their judgment should be done with
that great natural power which is of
use TO the grantee only because the
people as a whole allow him TO use It,
1T is eminently right that he should
make ample profit from his develop
lnent of it. but make him pay for the
privilege, and mako the grant for a
hxed period so that when the condi-
hons change, as in all probability they
viii change. our children, the nation
OF the future, shall have the right to
determine the conditions upon which
that privilege shall be enjoyed.
IN these cases the state has nos
acted and cannot act; therefore | hold
the nation should act. Where the policy
] advocate can De carried out best
by the state, let it be carried out by
the state; where 1t can be carried out
best by the nation, let it be carried
out by the nation.
MY concern Is not with the academic
side of the question. l deal with the
matter practically from the standpoint
Of true economic interest. Therefore
my desire is to employ indifferently
either the principle of state rights or
the principle of national sovereignty,
whichever IN given case will best con-
whole"
Gov Cutler is enthusiastic in his
endorsement of the Roosevelt policies
since his trip TO Washington, and he
declares that Utah can adopt no safer
course than to strive to keep in mar
mony with them.
BRYAN's SIMILAR VIEWS.
on the same occasion on which Mr..
Roosevelt spoke William j. Bryan put
forward his particular theory of state
and national rights, and the principal
difference between his speech, and that
of the President was In the verbiage.
This gathering" said Bryan, will be
remembered by future generations be-
cause they as well as ourselves gill be
recipients of its benefits, The earth
belongs to each generation" he said
again, "and 1t is criminal to fetter an
other generation with perpetual fran
chises." Another sentiment of Mr.. Bry-
au was that there should be no twi-
light zone between state and nation IN
which exploiting interests can take
refuge from both" and on the presi-
dents comment that he would use ma
tional and state rights indifferently 70
accomplish his ends Mr.. Bryan said
~ am Jealous of any encroachment up
nm the rights OF the states believing
that the states are AS indestructlblo as