The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-21
MEETING OF GOVERNORS
OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE
Interesting Comment Printed by Louisville Courier our
nal on Significance of Conference-States Passing
Through Crisis Is Its Tenor

Regarding the meeting OF the three
governors, which began yesterday in
Frankfort, KY, 20 select a meeting
place for the conference Of governors
this fall, the Louisville COurier-Journal
reprints the following interesting com
ment from the New York Times upon
the significance Of the considerations Of
the trio:
It's Significance.
More significant than the homecoming
of former President Roosevelt OF than
the deliberations OF the present Con-
Eress is the unheralded meeting today
Of the 1muittee Of governors.
1t cannot be denied that the States
are passing through a grave crisis Be
cause Of its gravity the Supreme Court
has deferred until next fall the decisions
in the cases against the Standard OIL
Company, against the American Tobac-
co COMPANY. and siXtv-five allied enter
prises and their officers. aud against
sUndry corporations shat are contest
ing the constiuUtiOnalitv Of the Federal
tax upon their State charters to do bust
ness. Behind these prosecutions is the
history OF a universal agitation that
gathered force and momentum in 1873
with tire exposures Of betra walls Of trust
among the great insurance companies
and Of their control. during series Of
wears. over the legislative ana eNecu-
tive branches Of State governments
The rndoubted proof Of these viola
lions OF sacred tTrSt and Of political
control by private interests. followed 10
the present time by exposures Of graft
and c"rTUutIOu ID the governments of
the great cities and IN many state leg
lSl1IurcS. served to Eelglten a lugrIIl-
able popular distUIst which deInaeOgueS
T % I" INT no .HHFa
ton that most If not all corporations
are criminal. and that most If not all
( LEGISLATORS and public officers especially
those Of the states and municipalites-
are their corrupt tools.
Local governments are in bad Odor.
/ Until recently the people, instead Of
undertaking 10 reform them, have
been encouraged 10 look 10 Washing
ton for redress Of their grievances
/ against the corporations, which. as
they have been persuaded by high
authorities. exercise a tyrannOus in
fuenCe over the personal fortunes of
+ every man. What If the people
should meet disappointment here-a
/ worse disappointment than when
/ they learned TO despair of the States
I in their battle with corporate inter
/ estsr Suppose, in the important cases
/ decided this fall, the powerful cen
| trial Government We're shown 70 be a
J broken reed.
A Supposition.
/ Suppose that the Supreme Court
I shall declare that the great mon
opolies. If monopolies they be, are
/ the result Of enterprises Of manufac-
ture and production over which the
/ States, and not Congress, have re-
/ served the regulatory control and
( that their charters are subject alone
/ to the States which gave them. The
monopolies, would not have been de-
| cided. If innocent, they would still
/ be subjected to the outbreaks Of the
/ popular temper. dashed 10 fury by
! desperation. II guilty, their guilt
! would not be established, their pun
: ishment would not be decreed, their
dissolution would not be effected, and
their way of public plumber would be
| kept open.
+ on the other hand. If the cases shall
/ be decided against the companies, the
/ Federal Government must face the
/ question whether the 1,19S holding
| companies of the nation, with their
( S,11O subsidiaries and $1O,612, 3T2,4S
of capital. shall be dissolved, and the
/ impossible task OF controlling their
| vast and intricate affairs will devolve
upon the Federal authorities.
/ There can be no Federal substitute fol
local government. Elihu Root was
spea king as much for business as for thC
people, as much FOR the people as FOL
business, when he declared that thi.
country "is too great, its population to-
numerous, its interests too vast and
complicated already, to say nothing =
the enormous increases that We can -
before US in the future. to be governed
as TO the great range of our daily at
fairs from one central power in Wash
inEtOn.'
Way Out of Tangle.
But there is a way out OF the tangIe o.
/ Capitalization. It is q way that vii
lead the people hack TO confidence il
their ability TO protect themselves &C