Omaha daily bee., 1908-04-13
TALK OF NATION AND STATE
Topics Discussed at Academy Of
Political Science.
OPPOSITE VIEWS PRESENTED
John sharp Williams Speaks of Fed
eral UsurpatiOns and OonGress-
man Burton on Units
Of Control.

.rfIII.AD ELPHIA, April l2.-The closing
sessions OF the annual meeting OF the Amer
ican Academy of Political and Social
Science we're held in the afternoon and last
night al which the questions The nation
and the railways" and The federal and
the state control of corporations" were dis
cussed by men who hold opposite opinions
concerning federal control of corporations
Among the speakers at tonlght's session
were ,Congresamen Burton Of Ohio John
Sharp Williams Of Mississippi and James
l.. sieyden OF Texas; United States Cir
cult Judge c. NJ. Housh Of New York and
Henry. Nj. 4ioyt, solicitor general Of the
United states. Washington. ID. c.
Judge Honsh. who was the first speaker
was followed by Congressman John Sharp
Williams, who spoke on Federal Usurpa-
tions." He said that so far as he could
read or had heard. all governments. whether
free or not. have existed and fallen, by
weight OF political machinery.
There has come a time in their his
tory" he said, when government and it's
machinery were the first consideration and
man. his indlvlduality-the support Of gov
ernment-the second. In certain sense the
federal government IL not the government
VI NntHt 0HlNG0 BlAAHb aA all bhh 10
piece OF central machinery organised to
hold together in union the several govern
ments OF the several states and protect
them by union from mutual aggression and
from aggression from foreign powers. Fed
eral usurpation OF power is not a recent
growth. 1t was a necessary concomitant
OF the rule OF the old federalists."
Usurpntions Basea ON Necessity.
Every governmental abuse" continued
Mr. Williams, ''is based upon some plea
or pretext and the usurpation OF power by
government is generally based upon 'neces-
sity, the tyrant's plea. This real usurpa-
tion, out of necessity. grows out of war.
This has been especially true with regard
TO legislative and executive usurpations by
our federal government"
Mr. williams said that what has been
actually accomplished by legislation regu-
latng or pretending to regulate interstate
/ commerce is nothing compared to what Is
proposed.
He enumerated q score or more of meas
ures pending in congress looking toward
federal control Of public acts and policies
IN the various states such for instance, as
a child labor law, referestatlon to preserve
stream supply ETC., and while concedlng
tile excellence oftithe physical aims, he
condemned the measures as being attempted
usurpatitns OF state rights by the general
government. e M
state ana National Units.
Representative Burton discussed the state
and nation as units OF control. He dwelt
upon the tendency toward the centraliSa-
tlon OF power IN the national government
and concluded as foilows:'
st1st.. wsglfh
danger As O. general rule government
is efficient in that proportion in which
its agencies are controlled by those IA
miiiar With the situation and in imme-
diate touch with the work TO be done
or the laws TO be enforced. states have
their own Municipalities and traditions,
too, and should be entrusted with their
proper share of responsibility, else these
valuable units in the body polite may
not accomplish that which they are cap
able Of accomplishing 1t would be
rational TO leave to the central govern
ment such enterprises ana agencies as
are essentially Interstate, such as great
railway systems. These require the con-
troi OF the central government because
proper development Is impossible under
I the separate policies and interests of a
variety of states.
The. question of the boundary line be-
tween state and national authority will
be determined, IN the future largely by
the states themselves 1here need be no
fear of usprpation on the part of the
federal government. It's activities will
be extended only when central control is
the better or local control has failed to
mget the situation
81 Letter from President.
A letter was read during the session
from President Roosevelt inviting Presi-
dent Rowe Of the American Academy of
Political and Social Science to participate
In the conference OF governors of states
and territories In conservation of gem
eral resources. which is to be held at the
White House May 1876.
Martin A. Knapp, chairman of the In