Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-05-27
STATE RELATION
TO GOVERNMENT
HAVE RE-AS SERTED THEM
SELVES As FULL PARTNERS.
FOUNTAINS OF LEGALITY
Governor Wilson Asserts Question Of
Conservation Is Not Wholly
Federal Charge.

Lincoln Neb, May 2G,--Goycrnor
Woodrow Wilson Of New Jersey add
dressed the Commercial club of this
city at its annual banquet tonight.
Governor Wilson treated chiefly I'm
what he said of the relations between
the states and the Federal govern
ment, looking at the matter not as If
1t were the old question of states
rights, but as if It were only the new
question of attaining the best possible
legal development for the country,
lie said in part:
Nothing is more noticeable than
the revival in very recent years cone
might almost say in recent months)
of the energy and activity Of our state
governments. ~ semes a very little
while ago that men We're discussing
everywhere the danger that our state
governments might lose their initia-
tive, fall hopelessly into the back
ground, give their powers over TO the
Federal government and find their re-
lations altered almost beyond rccog-
milton as compared with the older
.
no longer hear predictions and criu-
cisms of that sort.
"The variety of America Is such,
the differences between one part of
the country and another are so clearly
marked in respect to the industry and
all other elements of life that the
states are clearly an Indispensable In
strument of its life Varying cond-
tions must be met I'm different ways
] in different parts Of the country and
our system Of states gives TO our
/ legal arrangement an elasticity, an
adaptability, an ease of change and
accommodation which Is invaluable
and indispensable I'm so large a coun-
/ try bestirrlng itself in so many diff
ferent ways, in so many different lau-
tudes and with so great variety Of
purpose.
almost Of a sudden, it would SEEM
the states have 1@pped forward and
re-asserted themselves Ms full part
ners with the Federal government in
the inspiriting program Of grobressiye
reform.
"They are the trying out grounds Of
our political system Each state Is at
liberty to develop its own opinion, to
suit its reforms to its own life, to try
this experiment and the other with Its
laws and institutions in order that no
hopeful program may be neglected or
fail Of being neglected.
"Our states are again proving them
selves the source of our variety and
individuality. They are proving them
selves again the fountains Of our legal
growth. The Federal government
can in the nature of the case go no
farther than the broad outlines Of
regulation the establishment of those
conditions Of law which will fit the
country as a whole, which Will pre-
vent the collision, the undesirable
rivalry and opposition of its several
parts.
More and more, therefore, II
would seem, will the energetic men
Of this country find their profitable
field of service in the politics Of our
states. It is becoming evident that
the yare to be the battle ground Of
political reform
even the large matter OF con-
servatlon Is more a question for the
states than for the Federal govern
ment The Federal government can
act I'm 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 It's resources has passed out of fed
eral contrel long ago.
LET us congratulate ourselves that
now In each state in turn men are ad-
dressing themselves to n new quest;
they are seeking to find n new quest;
they are seeking TO find the common
term of their life, that is to say, the
general interest in the consciousness
that when they have discovered II and
have by common counsel got together
in common endeavor they have ut last
discovered the best way to serve them
selves as we'll as the best way 10 serve
the country Modern business is up
on great public scale. Modern
business men are engaged In moth
ing less than the statesmanship OF
economic development, and only ms
they address themselves 10 the matter
in the spirit Of statesmen will they
really achieve the large ends at which
the yare aiming"