New-York tribune., 1908-02-23
TAFT ON WASHINGTON
HE SPE1KS At BUFFALO.
Denies Federal Usupation OF State
Poscers-For Unsecfional Parties.

az War. was the guest of honor at the F,licot.
Cubs thirteenth annual celebration of Wash
inrton's Birthday here tonight The ban
ave; hall was representation of washington.s
colonial mansion az Mount Vernon, Va. and
.,,- lawn before IL.
President William H Lyon of the Flrco,t
Club as toastmaster-- delivered brief eulogv
n Washington. leading to the Introduction of
Secretary Taft. Following the address of nv
taft the Rev. Charles c. Albertson of Roches-
ter spoke American Democracy" and John
~ Hull. of Buffalo, on Patriotism AT the
close Of the banquet the club members pre-
seuted silver loving cup to Mr. Taft. Secretary
Tsf, WAS greeted with cheers when he was in
t-oduced-
SPEAKER DRAWS PARALLELS
Responding to the toast George Washington.
Secretary Taft took up some of the great DO
li-jcal principles laid down by the first Presi-
dent and drew parallels with present day poll
cies 10 show how far Washngton's precepts had
besn followed by those who came after him In
the course of his address Secretary Taft had a
word TO say 10 the nations unpreparedness
for war. He spoke follows:
Washington deemed the preparation of the
nation for Of high Importance Our
tuuiliating experience with reference 10 our
s-n9v in the War Of 1912 and the immense losses
uhiCh we suffered in the Civil War from lack
nF y,reTarafiOn show that in this 1paS
We have not followed The advice Of the first
President We are however. making our navy
moro and more respectable each year. and | am
very hopeful that Congress will take the steps
urhch viii make army a proper nucleus
co. the rapid enlargement OF a force for ma
fionsI defence commensurate with the popula-
rirn q the country ana with the extent of our
jursdicticn-
W. have not completed coast defences in
Hawaii in the Philippines or at the isthmian
canal Should war overtake delay in
mis- respect would Justify the severest condem-
nation The American people are an intensely
r-aC5ical people in certain ways and in other
a-evs they are as dreamy and irresponsible as
# horn under the tropic With knowledge
-ha- IN 1SGs-'65 had army Of million
men that were good men ever carried
Gun they have abiding conviction that
coIld promptly raise similar army TO resist
foreign aggression or TO enforce our interna-
tionel rights without realizing that IL took three
years of 2 most stupendous war TO make that
army in the history Of which they now have
such just pride Still very much better
o<T han We We're. We are slowly improving in
the matter Of national defence. and if God who
seems 70 have watched over the fortunes Of this
raS rsssed we shall probably be in q better
condition 10 meet il than ever before in our
history.
Among other things. Secretary Taft said:
In reading washingtons words parties one
might be led TO believe that he deprecated the
existence Of parties and that he thought il was
possible 10 maintain republican form of gov
eminent without parties l venture to think
construction OF Washingtcn's words leads not
10 z condemnation OF parties. but TO a con-
demnation Of party bitterness and rancor, and
of sa crifce of the interests Of the country to
The zeal Of paTtisanship- The spirit of party
since the eTnbers Of the Civil War died out now
decades ago, has never had the rancor or the
destructive quality which Washington wished
10 avert. ,...s :. ..,oo.. .o-,,,.
2 sectional party and il is true that of the
great parties finds much of its strength to-day
chiefly in the South. while the other party is
-5-,e~ 81
This condition is due. not to present living Is
sues but TO the ghosts Of the past and 70 the
terly impossible May we not in the next dec
sde. therefore. look TO a change IN TINS respect
that the TWO great parties shan De neaLfy
equally distributed through all the states OF lne
Union. and tic peaceful political battle-ground De
spread south Of Mason and DiKon's line as IL Is
again washington pointed out the necessity
for maintaining the separation OF the branches
OF the federal government INTO Willcn ble I'll ~
stitution divided it. and warned the country
against the danger OF the usurpatlon OF the
powers OF branch by another FROM llIne
10 time IN political discussions, We nave feafo
much cf such usurpatton In the Gays OF JeI
ferson the Supreme Court was called thief OF
jurisdiction and its action in assuming the Ilsnt
10 declare invalid laws OF state OF laws Vi tle
tinted states which were contrary to the pro
visions Of the federal Constitution. brought out
the bi-terest condemnation. But under the
sfes6yir71 hand of John Marshall his associates
and his successors the righteousness OF the
tribunal in assuming this power is no" ao-
tied
Court and the Federal JUDICIARY pefIoriilS a., III
maintaining and enforcing the contitutional nm
itations upon the action OF the ailt
the Executive is now helo up ID! otuuen W
political science and government as certainly ,le
most novel and probably the mos! naludOie
change effected by our Iederal l toiis an
F-ro-, time 10 time il is asserted against an
executive that he is usurpIns lhe IuctloI.9 ~. u
the legislature but as long as congress retains
the r7oyyer Of appropriation and expenditure OF
money The danger in this regard is nesAslpie-
The President is vested by the constltutlofi on
the right TO advise CONGRESS IN respsct i.s "a
legislation. and in the exercise OF me n~IIll'eu ~
ye-o mower actually takes part in 1t In view OF
his legitimate functions in securing ieglsiatI"s'
it is far fetched to term MS personal IilIiuence
In securing the passage Of useful legislation
In resnect TO the frequently made assertion
that since Washngtons day the powers OF the
r.+fonsl government under the Constitution nave
heou greatly -videned by construction IN COM
psrisor with the powers OF tf:e state aho @ tld'
therefore II may be said that the natlondi gov
o-,.,,..aT- ,,s'e -IS1Irned state powers. I can
,s-1x enter 2 dissent from the vieW ana Suggest
fast II will be found that the undouhted growth
a. ,-so,of ,,v,-er as COMPARED with state power,
IS net due 70 any departure in the principle OF
construction or IN giving 10 the
-arjonaI government what was thought TO be
ior- 70 the states in washinston's time The
growth Of the national power as cornpared Win
the state power. is due TO the fact mat III 'e oe
yeIo-rrent of this country and Its business l1oSe
functions which always national cover no"
z much wider field Of operations than they dld IN
the beginning Of our government.
On the whole. however, and allowing Tor the
changed conditions due 10 the enormous growth
% the ccuntrv Il can be truly said that the in
junction Of Washington TO keep within me con
stitutionaI division Of powers has been sacreoIS
kept
Washington gave Us some advice of the ut
most importance in respect TO our geneTal lof.
eisn relations He said. The great rule OF
conduct for US, in regard TO foreign nations is
IN extending our commercial relations, 70 nave
with them as little political connection as pos
sibie~ He said Il unwise IN US 10 I'M
plicate ourselves in controversies win hurope,