Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-18

ia VNl federation began their meet
IEA IslI ings in Washington and part
lI%YA7NI of their deliberations will be
Nssassss in the form of joint sessions.
This partial union of two of
the leading forces in current American
thought may presage an answer TO the
plea that the powers of the central
government ought to be extended, and
those of the states correspondingly
curtailed Those who have entered
this plea assert that the states have
been weighed in the balance and found
wanting in handling many of the prob
lens over which they claim exclusive
jurisdiction, and that therefore, Wheth-
er by judicial Interpretation or consti-
tutional amendment, the central gov
ernment ought to be given power in
these things.
It is expected that the meetings of
the House of Governors will result in
the states coming into closer harmony,
and that 1t will hasten the day when
uniform legislation throughout the
Union will rob the contenders for more
federal authority of their point Al
ready the movement for uniformity,
especially in those instances where the
laws of one state intimately touch the
people of another state, such as nego-
table instrument laws, divorce laws
and warehouse receipt laws, has been
widely extended, and it is expected
that the recommendations of the House
of Governors will have great weight
with the various legislatures, resulting
in a further extension of this move
ment.
The members of he Civic federation
had planned to meet earlier, but as
soon as they heard that the governors
were going to meet at this time, they
concluded to postpone their sessions in
order to get in touch with them. They
know that most of the governors will
soon be writing messages to the legis-
latures, and they are glad of this op-
portunity to get their ideas before the
men who have the authority to make
legislative recommendations The Civic
federation will be a truly representative
body. In its deliberations labor will
sit beside capital, men of letters be-
side men of business and governors
beside the governed.
The Civic Federation believes that
in these twentieth century times the
states should no more live to them
selves than do individuals, and that
today all legislation should be passed
in the interest of the family of states,
rather than to the advantage of sin
gle members of that family. 1t is
speaking, strictly state affairs, are,
practically speaking. of as much in
terstate concern as those that are
dealt with by congress itself.
1t is claimed that in many respects
the common life of the country has
grown to the point of needing uniform
legislation by groups of states, if not
by all the states. 1t is represented
that conservation will remain little
more than a theory unless the states
adopt uniform laws relating to for
estry, water power and irrigation.
Likewise, it is urged that congress
can enact antitrust legislation and
amend the Sherman law until it's mem
bers' heads are as white as snow, and
still it will fail in it's endeavor unless
the state antitrust laws are made in
conformity. The interstate commerce
commission, it is asserted, can issue
orders from now until doomSday and
still traffic conditions and financial
matters will not be satisfactory unless
the states adopt railroad regulation to
conform with federal requirements.
Banking circles want uniform bank
ing laws. insurance companies are
begging for uniform insurance laws,
wholesale grocers and druggists are
appealing for uniform pure food laws,
labor organizations are asking for uni
form labor laws. The medical pro-
fession is seeking uniformity of regis
tration and preservation of vital sta
tistics and automobilists are asking
for uniform legislation on the regula-
ton of motor vehicles. In fact, the
whole business world is asking for
uniform business laws in all the states.
To consider this widespread desire
for uniformity and to promote it
wherever feasible is the main purpose
of the meeting of the Civic Federation.
1t will therefore fit perfectly into the
plans of the house of governors. When
the two bodies get through with their
deliberations and formulate their con-
clusions in definite resolutions it is
generally felt that a new epoch in
American history will be begun, which
will result in the states, separate COM
monwealths in theory, becoming one in
practice, in so far as the important
laws on their statute books are con-
cerned. The plans of the house of
governors and of the Civic federation
with reference to harmonious and uni
form legislation will dovetail into the
plans of the American Bar association
and altogether they will constitute one
of the most formidable movements for