The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-09-21
TENDENCY OF THE TIMES.
Passage OF Child Labor and Eight Hour
Railroad Law Two Steps In Advance
In ~Lesseninp Functions OF Individual
states-FormerIy These Rights Were
Supreme Issue.


issue, Dut In conjunction with slavery
was big enough for a great civil war.
State rights continued 70 le an issue
long after the war was over, and to an
extent Will be heard from I'm connec-
ton with legislation by the national
government.
But the last yestige OF state rights
as n political issue has been wiped off
the slate by four years of Democratic
rule. The Republicans had gone a
long way I'm making IL apparent that
the United States was becoming a
great, strong, centralized power, but II
has become more so under the nag
ment Of the Democratic party in four
years.
Tendency OF the Times.
1t was the tendency OF the times
The country was much different In the
days when the states were supposed
to have a great many reserved rights
and when the constitution was drawn
Development and progress have so
changed conditions that the old things
have passed away.
Il have several times said that / be.
lieved | was almost the only state
rights man In the senate" remarked
Senator Gallinger a short time before
the adjournment The New Hampshire
senator was contending that states
ought TO manage their W elections
and punish crimes against the ballot
and that there was no real necessity
for the corrupt practices bill which was
being pushed by Senator Owen OF Ok.
lahoma.
Two Advanced Steps.
The last session took two very ad.
vanced steps In the direction Of cen
tralization and breaking down state
lines. One was the child labor law
n the other the eight hour law. Both
of these measures, If they are finally
sustained by the supreme court. will
do more 10 wipe out state lines thar
anything that has been done I'm recent
years.
LII the corrupt practices act shall be
come a law, and IL no doubt will be
passed next winter. there will be only
a short step to the control OF elections
by the federal government. In fact,
the control OF primaries and the cleo
ton of senators oy direct vote all point
In that direction.
Toward Government Ownership.
In passing a bill to construct and op-
crate a railroad in Alaska and I'm pass
ing another for the purchase and OPP
GRAFTON of ships, together with recon-
xsxA.1nl.n- - AAA4xAs n -. ~
telegraph and telephone lines be taken
over by the government, the last con
gress has gone a long way in the direc-
tiCn of government ownership. There
are some people who see government
ownership OF railroads as an ultimate
result of fixing the hours for labor on
trains. They rather expect that this
fact may influence the courts when the
first case is decided.
The Band Wagon Voter.
The Republicans expect to gain on
account OF the band wagon voters
since the Maine election. A Democrat
ic senator told me that the "band wag.
on voter" was the most serious ele-
ment In this campaign. There are
thousands of such" he said, whose
only desire is TO be with the winners"
The hope of the Republicans is that
a lot OF Progressives who have hereto
fore been doubtful will now 60 back
to the Republican party.
Biographies! Politics.
In a number of states geography cuts
a great figure, but that does not seem
to be the case in Maine. Both senators
elect are from Portland. Both Oregon
senators are from Portland. In other
states 1t is necessary for a senator to
be from some other section than that
represented by his colleague. In still
others no n seems to care whether
they come from one end of the state
,r the other, so long as the men are
satisfactory.
Relatives Employed.
Probably only a few votes viii be
made by showing that sons or sons-in
aw or other relatives are employed
" men in congress and In the federal
apartments. That has been going on
long time. Neither party is free
rom men who look after their rela-
ives in these government positions.
t times there has been an outcry. but
does not get many votes. "Nepo-
SIN" was made a feature In politics
ears and years ago.. Both parties
ave used 1t.
Winning the Senate.
Among other things which the Re-
lblicans have set out to do is TO win
e senate. Their FIRST start was In
aine. where they have gained one.
lere are other chances-two In Indi-
q. one each In New York, New Jer-
y, West Virginia. Ohio, Nebraska.
aryland, Montana. Missouri. Nevada
a Arizona. Besides this, they must
Id all they now have.