The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1914-06-12
TOWARD GENERALIZATION.

There will be little surprise occas-
toned by the decision of the supreme
court of the United States which
paves the way for the control by one
master hand of all the transportation
facilities of the country. The tend
ency ever since the foundation OF
the government, and especially en-
phasized since the war between the
states. has been toward cent? alization
of authority in the general govern
ment and the wiping out of what
were once popularity called states
rights
This tendency toward increased
powers in the federal government
and correspondingly decreasing rights
In the states, has been especially not
able since the government entered
upon that broader field Of legislation
which ID Of a paternalis.ic and social
istic nature. And this Is the jneyi-
table result The general govern.
ment does what it does in the admin.
istration OF public affairs, in the regu-
lation Of private monopoly and the
restrain Of private greed, for the re.
lief Of the oppressed and the care Of
the unfortunate, so much better and
more efficiently than the states, that
therS is small wonder that the PEG.
pie have turned more. and more to
tho federal government where relief
is sought 'or reforms are urged,
III. will be much better for all the
people when the federal government
finally, as it ultimately will, controls
all of the transportation interests of
the country. That the great rail-
road companies must be regulated
and controlled is now conceded by
all, including the roads. That this
task can be accomplished much bet
ter, both for the roads and for the
people, by the general government,
than it can by the boards and COM
missions of forty-eight states, is a
self-evident proposition. What we
need above all things in the admin
istration of our railroads is uniform
ity of rates; equally fer all the peo-
pie. These things we cannot have
SO long as the control is divided
among the conflicting interests Of
multiplicity of controlling agencies.
Really the only effective control,
that which does any sort Of. justice
to the roads and at the same time
conserves the rights of the people,
is that exercised by the federal gov
eminent States have shown that
they are generally impotent to cope
with these tremendous interests and
great problems.
In every field of governmental
activity the federal government ad-
ministers its duties better than the
average state government. 1t is true
that we still have and will always
have a central government that is
very far from being perfect, but no
one will deny that even the most
practiced law-breaker who splits with
IMMUNITY upon the statutes Of his
state, looks with fear upon the man.
dates of tfhe national government.
Democrats, who have been taught
to revere state's~ rights as the very
ark of the covenant of human lib
erty, have been forced to concede
the greater efficiency of the federal
government; its larger power for
the righting Of wrongs and for the
protection Of the people. And the
democrats, who really desire reform
in government, who would have Or
ganized society, performing its high
mission to all the people, no longer
stand upon the ancient but worn out
doctrine of states rights. The peo-
pie are after results. For these
reasons public opinion will generally
voice approval of the supreme courts
recent procurement.