The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-12-08
MIR. ROOT AS A DEFENDER OF
STATES RIGHTS.

MIR. ROOT AS A DEFENDER OF
STATES RIGHTS.
Senator Roots speech on centraliz-
alton before the National Civic Fed
Grafton in New York the other day is
so entirely contrary to a speech he
made while a member of Mr.. Roose-
velt's Cabinet as to call for some ex-
PLANTATION Of his change Of views. On
the 7th Of December, 1906, while
Secretary Of State. Mr.. Root made
an address before the Pennsylvania
Society In which he expressed views
favorable to such extreme and radi-
cal centralization Of power in the
hands of the Federal government as
had perhaps never Heretofore been
expressed by any responsible public
ofiicial who was a lawyer. In that
speech Mr.. Root said: 1--WE are urging
forward in a development of business
and social life which tends more and
more to the obliteration Of State
lines and decrease Of State power, as
compared with national power. .
New projects Of national control are
mooted. Control of insurance, uni
form divorce laws. child labor laws
and many others affecting matters
formerly entirely within the cogniz-
ance Of the State are proposed"
And then he suggested seriously a
method Of amending tie Constitution
which was different from that pro-
vided In the instrument itself. II the
States refuse or neglect to perform
their duty In the proper exercise of
their reserved rights--that is, of
course. II they neglect to perform II
AZ the President Of the United States
might consider that II should be
performed-then Sooner or later"
Mr.. Root declared, constructions of
the Constitution will be found to vest
the power where 1t will be exercised
In the national government"
$50 's0"c Va ochoSOE ftOOt, dS eX-
pressed last Tuesday. are so radically
different from those of Secretary
Root, as expressed three years ago,
that we are forced to the conclusion n
that In 1905 he was expressing, not
his own opinions. but those of Presi-
dent Roosevelt. his then chief.
In his Civic Federation speech last
Tuesday Senator Root was evidently
speaking his own sentiments and CIV
Ing his own opinions as a lawyer and
statesman. He said:
The framework Of our government
aimed to preserve at once the
strength and protection of a great
national power, and the blessing and
the freedom and the personal in
dependence Of local self-government
1t aimed to do that by preserving in
the Constitution the sovereign powers
of the separate States. Are we to re-
form our constitutional system so as
to put in Federal hands the control
OF all the business that passes over
State lines? II we do. where Is our
local self-government? II we do,
how Is the central government at
Washington going to be able to dis
charge the duties that will be i'm
posed upon It? Already the admin
lstration. already the judicial power.
already the legislative branches of
our government. are driven to the
limit OF their power to deal intelli-
gently with the subjects that are be-
fore them. This country is too great,
Its population too numerous, its in
terests too vast and complicated al
ready. to say nothing Of the enor-
nous increases that We can see be-
fore us In the future, to be governed
as To the great range Of our daily
AFFAIRS, from one central power In
Washington.
AT this time, when men are forget
ting constitutional limitations and
some of the Federal courts are justi-
flying Mr.. Jefferson's criticism when
| he called them the "sappers and min
ers OF the Constitution" 1t Is we'll for
men Of Mr.. Roots standing to talk
| this way.-Baltimore Sun.