Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-11-27
EDITORIAL OPINION OF
IDAHO EDITORS
STATE RIGHTS AND POWERS IN
A BETTER LIGHT.
lTrihune. Lewiston

The swing of the pendulum is de-
veloping an object lesson of primary
Importance in political business whose
meaning ought not to be lost to the
people. This is as to the relative ca
racity of the two governments. state
and federal, for effective action, in
the face of the tendency to forsake the
ready and decisive instrument for the
remote and indecisive one. Two strik-
Ing examples to this effect are now
prominently before the public eye ana
available for practical comparison. In
the coal crisis the federal government
asserted instant jurisdiction, took the
responsibility, treasured the public and
proceeded to business. At that time
there was estimated to be a 30-day
supply Of fuel on hand, but 10 days
have passed since then and not a
pound of coal has been produced as
a result of the national administrator
control of the situation, while yester-
days reports indicated that the chance
OF resuming production was as dis
tant as at the beginning. We are not
pre- pared to charge mistaken or incom-
petent administration at Washington
in this connection; it is sufficient for
the purpose to know that the steps
taken have been barren, while con-
Stunning precious time in most omin-
Gus circumstances. But the states,
supposed to be implacably weak or
negligent in matters of self help have
not been idle. North Dakota was the
first to act, taking charge of the coal
Kansas followed, then Ohio and now
Iowa. Other states would certainly
have opened their mines, one way or
the other, had they not been SO con-
fidently relying on Washington. with
all Of Its war powers and means OF
enforcing them, to save the situation.
The anarchistic and revolutionary
demonstrations occurring throughout
the country, from coast to coast, are
another example that Is now conspic-
ucusly before the public. The states
have moved and are moving. with
vigor and resolution. The federal adj
n,inistrators declare they can do
nothing, that the public law Is weak.
ard inadequate for coping with or
ganixed and overt purposes to over
throw government and install bedlam.
Perhaps it is. but We do not believe a
word Of It. At any rate, the states
ore not apologi2ing or complaining of
lack Of law and of power, but are pro-
ceeding with their elemental duty of
defending the institutions OF free gov
eminent from the public enemy.
The rights and powers reserved to
the states are not the myths or alb
stractions they are assumed to be by
the general effort to throw all respon-
sibility on the central government.
ind 70 draw all the advantages and OPP
portunitiss from the same source. The
states can do many things incompar-
ably better than the nation can, and In
fact the national Legislature has be-
come SO encountered with the demands
from the states for measures or local
origin that ii Is no longer able to give
reasonably prompt and efficient fife . sstsn-
ton to its necessary ana exclusive
Ia SKIS. The reason the states have
been running to Washington with their
pun poses and their plans y that It has
come to be popularity supnoeed that
sedsrsi action was more efficacious
than state. But II that condition ever
excited. II can no longer be said sst 70 p
With M many policies which II should
| rot be charged with that i can do none
Ct them we'll It's officers are NOT rs-
not adapt general laws to the varied
conditions existing in forty-eight a.