New-York tribune., 1915-03-26
Devices of Simpler Times
Must Go, He Tells
Merchants.
JOSEPH H. CHOATE
PRAISES EX-SENATOR
Declares He Should Represent
United States at Peace Con.
ference When War Ends.

Speaking before seventeen hundred
merchants and business men at the
Hotel Astor. at the largest luncheon
ever held by the Merchants Associa-
ton, Elihu Root, delegate to the con-
stitutional convention, declared yester-
day that the machinery of government
in this state must be rcadapted to the
complexities OF modern life.
"The business of government in this
and in most Of our states has outgrown
it's machinery" he said. This machin-
cry was established in simpler times,
when government interfe-ed much less
in the affairs of the people than 1t Is
compelled to do now. The change from
individualism, from individual activity
to combined activity, has made it nee
essary for government to do many
things which were formerly left to the
individual.
ave are all dependent upon each
other; we are all interdependent. The
great combinations of capital and labor;
the dependence of each man, in his or
dinary life, upon the activities, the
continued activities of n multitude OF
ether men for his breakfast, his light,
his heat, his access TO the street, the
tude of other matters, all make 1t nee
essary that there should be govern
ment regulation Of the activities Of
life. The machinery Of government
should be 30 reformed as to make it
capable Of attending to tho business of
government We are running rail-
road with O stage coach organization.
"The first thing, the one all-impor-
tnnt thing, is to make the government
so that responsibility shall be fixed.
There Is no way If having effective
service in government any more than
in a business enterprise unless you
can put your finger on the man who IS
responsible for this error, or for that
success. And in order that there
shall be responsibility, power must
go with the responsibility. You cannot
hold men responsible unless you give
them power"
Mr. Root thought the granting of
such power would arouse opposition
from individual, local and special coz
porato interests" adding that that
business men should unite in its 1up-
port.
"The business men OF America have
been at a heavy discount of recent
years. All other elements Of our popu-
iation have organized and been active
in their own behalf. II you will follow
the line you have entered upon, !. e.,
organization it will soon come to be
no longer true that the pursuit OF prof
liable business is to be regarded as
robbery"
Bespeaking the interest Of the asso-
citation in the Constitutional Conven-
tion, Mr.. Root said that "it seems
nj
ested in nothing but personalities, and
that we wanted government of men,
end not a government of laws It
seems as if they do not realize that it
makes any difference TO them what
laws they have or how they are ad-
ministered.
"Do not" he continued, "expect our
convention to do too much. 1t ought
not TO do too much; it had better do
too little than too much. 1t is not
the Office of tho convention TO turn
everything upside down and to sweep
away all our system and inaugurate
new one. Our laws, fundamental and
ordinary, are to be based upon our
history.
"The important thing is the preser-
vation of the great body of the rights
and liberties of our governing peo-
pie, which have been growing year by
year since Magma Charta, and under
which we now live in peace and order
and opportunity for postevity and for
growth in spirit and in power"
Discussion in the conduct of govern
ment is the alternative to war, said
Mr.. Root, asking his hearers not to
lose patience if the deliberations Of
the convention proved lengthy and pro-
tracted.
"You must, among a virile people,
have differences of opinion" he said,
with men adhering to their opinions
with determination, and there are only
two ways of reaching the conclusions
that are necessary for peace and honor.
One system is TO argue with men; the
other is to shoot them. The first Is
ours, the second is that of Mexico"
Joseph II. Choate, in introducing Mr..
Root, paid tribute to his reorganiza-
ton Of the United States army, which