Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-02-05
MR. ROOTS POLITICAL GREED


 Attempt to imagine Piatt making such an address as that of Elihu Root to the New York legislature, and you have measure of the good fortune which has at last come to the Empire state of being represented in the Unit cd States senate by a statesman. At the very outset MT. Root declared for the parcels post thereby giving notice to the country that the express compan- ies no longer own a senatorial seat sc- credited to New York. That seat will for the next six years be occupied by a man who, has convictions of his own, who is governed by reasoned political ideas, who has grown so accustomed to think nationally that 1t is with some mental effort that he can bring himself into proper perspective with those minor senatorial duties, such as the i'll ing of offices, which bulk so hugely upon the horizons of the Platts and their ilk. The Albany politicians, we are told, tried to read between the lines for evidence that they had among them a new organization leader, some one to guide and direct their political machi- nations, and to settle where the good things should go. We think they lis tened in vain. What they heard were timely reflections upon the immediate problems of state and national govern ments, mixed with excellent advice to the electorate on the duty of improving the quality of the state legislatures. It must have been something of nov city, though possibly not wholly refresh ing to political thirst.
 So far as it related to national con eerns, MT. Root s remarks followed the lines of his memorable address before the Pennsylvania society, wherein he warned the states that if they failed to rise to the full opportunities of their governmental authority, they would be compelled to surrender power to the na- tion in order that the welfare of the whole people might be conserved. He now adds warning that the federal government has about come to the limit of its capacity to transact public busi- ness, the popular tendency being to thrust burdens upon 1t too heavy to I be borne In this he holds common ground with Mir. Taft and both men speak from the nationalist standpoint. Even those who believe that govern ment is capable of many extensions of function must admit that the increasing complexity of the federal machine is a source of danger to efficient adminis- tration. The mere cost of it, if nothing else, is enough to give the thoughtful pause, and the practical inability of congress to control the national budget is striking commentary on MT. Root $ observation. It would not be at all sur prising if the next few years should witness a marked unwillingness on the part of both executive and congress to further increase the responsibilities of the federal administration.
 MT. Roots declaration against the election of senators by popular vote and against the initiative and referen. dun will attract wide attention. On these matters he speaks as statesman of the old school, still convinced that tho representative system is capable of realizing the best results in government. He fears that to deprive legislatures of their constitutional functions will tend to break down the system of local self government by weakening the gov erning power of the states. It is a nat ural fear. but hardly warranted by the