Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-27

main problem of political reform for us, is
local affair. We find It IN cities and in
states. The states are the units Of
ganization in our politics, and being the
units of organization are also the units of
reform, the units Of publication, of simpl-
fication and of correction with regard to
everything that threatens to go wrong in
our national life. Moreover they are of
necessity the chief battle ground of
economic reform. 1t is the states which
incorporate the great undertakings which
threaten to bulk larger than the states
themselves in the power which they exer-
else. The whole problem of the regulation
OF public service corporations, for exam
pie, is a state problem except in so far as
the great railway systems Of the country
are concerned. which are the arteries of in
terstate commerce For the daily conven-
fence and freedom OF our people the control
Of trolley lines, Of gas companies, of cleo
trio light and power companies. is even
more important than the control of great
railways. The way in which these local
public service corporations are managed
has vast deal to do not only with the
convenience and comfort of our several
communities, but with their development,
with their actual existence, with the whole
question of the congestion Of population
and the maintenance of wholesome and
sanitary and convenient conditions. Their
control is necessary a question for the
states and as the states act wisely or I'M
wisely, courageously or hesitatlngly in their
control, or will the life of their people be
clogged or cleared, assisted or impeded, so
win political and economic conditions be
improved or rendered worse
Even the large matter OF conservation
is more a question for the states than for
the federal government. The federal gov
eminent can act IN that matter only insofar
as It still controls lands and forests and
mines and water courses. The great bulk
Of the land of the continent and OF its re-
sources has passed out of federal control
long ago. 1t is the states which must de-
termine by their policy whether the natural
resources of the country are to be ex-
hausted or renewed, wasted or conserved,
and the matter win require all the more
careful craftsmanship and planning be-
cause 1t win touch life very intimately at
many points.
I'm short. politics is not matter of
broadly outlined plans 1t is a very lnten-
sive matter and nowhere will legislative
regulation have 10 be more carefully and
judiciously planned than within the several
states. Their welfare and development are
In their own hands 1t is well for the
stimulation OF their people that II should
be so, They can depend upon no one but
themselves 10 effect their emancipation
from conditions which are onerous to them
Necessity viii force upon them an active
role OF reform and readjustment and we
may look forward with confidence TO a time
OF general stimulation when state will fol-
low state In handsome emulation in the
effort to serve the life OF the people in its
detail as advantageously and as promptly
as possible.
Parties and Individual states.
1T Is probable that the partial oblitera-
ton OF party lines so commonly remarked
upon today Is in part due 70 this increased