The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-11-27
Chief Executives or Their
Representatives from Ev-
cry State in the Union Are
to Be Present.
NATIONAL PROBLEMS
WILL BE TAKEN UP
Such as Popular Election of
Senators, the Income Tax
Amendment and Conserva-
ton of u. S. Resources.
(American News SerVtcey

tAmerican News Service,
Frankfort, KY. Nov. 26.-The popu-
lar election of United States senator's.
the income tax amendment T. the
constitution, conservation of natural
resources by state legislation, uni
form divorce laws and other subjects
of national wide interest will come up
for discussion at the conference of
governors which is to open in this
city, Tuesday, and close in Louisville
December 3.
Not only will the subjects be dis
cnssed, but resolutions will be adopt
ed binding the members to urge the
enactment or rejection of such iegis-
lation by the various state legislatures
as may be decided on at the confer
ence.
Governors or their representatives
from every state in the union viii be
present as well as large percentage
of the governors-elect, who will take
the oath of office on January L. Among
these are John A. Dix of New York,
Simeon r. Baldwin of Connecticut,
Eugene Foss of Massachusetts, and
Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey.
For Permanent Body.
Steps will be taken at this meeting
to make the house of governors a per-
manent body. which will meet annual
ly to discuss the enactment OF uni
fnrn, fat J.y; x,yh, ~ =.
no way conflict with the federal ma.
chinery.
Mr.. William j. Jordan, secretary OF
the conference, in outlining the plans
or the organizers and commenting on
the power and influence Of this body
| to representative or the Interna
tional News Service said:
Though the house of governors has
no law making powers. it will be able
! through it's collective influence, to
urge laws which will settle once and
for all the foremost issues of the day
1t has in the past been difficult to Sc.
cure national legislation on great
| questions, and indeed. on some of the
greatest it is impossible to secure 1t
without constitutional amendment.
"The plan which the house of gov
ernors will control this legislatnon is
SO extremely simple that it's chief
wonder is that it was not discovered
before. 1t is simply a new idea in
American politics to promote uniform
legislation on vital questions and to
secure fuller, freer voice of the peo.
PIE in such issues.
What the Theory Is.
"In the congress of the United
States the senators chosen as they
are by the state legislatures, repre-
sent their states, but not the people
of their states. for the latter have
no direct voice in their election The
| members of the house of represent
atives do not represent the people oil
their states as whole, but simply
districts in their states. With ties
| to their constituents and with duties
and obligations to them, they may in
theory have the interest of the state
at heart, but in fact they never lose
sight of the fna1ity OF value in the
| congressional district
The governor of the state, however
| is elected by the people, and keeps
his fingers pressed closely upon the
pulse Of every section. The voice OF
the governors. therefore. is more
nearly the voice OF the people thar
either the senators or Representatives
at Washington.
Now, there are many vital aues
tions which the states can regulate
with uniform laws, without exceedina
their rights in the least and without
ment.
There are today perhaps twenty
| issues before the American public
that are of vital interest which the
federal government cannot cope with
because of its constitutional Hmita
tions, but which may be settled BIZ
the cooperative action of the state.
| through the house of governors.
A Unique Innovation
I'm the house of governors, ma jor
| ity vote will not be binding on the
minority. Should even A members in
i AhAA SSSSAoh 06A CCs bAC OlC tiELIDGt
not concurring will have absolute
| freedom of action and he or his sue
cessor would probably join the major
/ ity at the next session of the house
IF on the subject of, let us say. di
vorce, twenty-five members of the
house were to agree on a general plan
the twenty-five governors thus con
curing, would suggest to their re
spectiye legislatures in their ensuing
messages the passage of a bill in ac
cordance with the recommendation
The legislatures. of course. would
have absolute freedom to pass 1t oI
not as they allowed best, but the re
commendation would have a creates
dynamic effect. a stronger moral in
i ft<..~x a ~.- - -