Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-25
FEDERAL ENcRoAcHMENrs.

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aency of the federal government to- encroach on the
fields which were once supposed to belong exclu-
$sively to the states. That there is this tendency
swe have abundant evidence, and it's result, among
sother things, has been the creation of many central
bureaus and commissions for the performance of
duties which in some cases could be performed bet
ter by local authority.
AS illustrations of the tendency we have the
adoption of the eighteenth and nineteenth amend
.ments to the federal constitution, the first affecting
THE personal habits of the people and the second the
elective franchise, both of which subjects were long
1jealously guarded by the states. Then we have the
efforts which have been made for the regulation Of
tsschild labor by federal enactment, efforts Which have
been unsuccessful thus far, but which are likely to
&be placed behind another constitutional amendment.
In the transportation field congress has assumed
amounts to exclusive jurisdiction over the rail-
road business of the country. The federal govern
gment has assumed important functions, in connec-
stion with road building through the system of fed
eral aid. In the field of education we have long
seen the operation Of the federal aid plan through
ssthe substituting of state. colleges with federal funds,
and it is quite likely that the process will be con
5tinued through the enactment Of one of the pending
educational bills which proposed not only the crea-
ton OF a federal department Of education, but the
distribution of federal money to local schools in a
manner intended to stimulate educational work
where itis nowsbackward. '4
There is such a thing as too much .centralizaa-
ton in some$ departments, too much liberalization.
There are some things which may be done more ef-
fciently by local authority. than BY means Of central
management and there are other things Ndhieh,
while not SO efficiently done, are soSSdone as to3be
more conddciye TO human welfare If individuals and
localities are permitted to work out their own saliva
sStion in their own way.
ltss must be recognized, however;@...ut a good
deal of this federal invasion Of state prerogatives is
due to the failure Of the states and their subdivisions
to function. The railroads Of the country ..werx in
an inhoty mess while ffty-eight state commission
ssSxere supposed 80 be supervising them, but were
reallyletting the essentials Of. the subject go by de-
Sfault. Highway building has been an evolution
q rom StheS days off the township supervisor and ii
EStfaat system had been retained we should not have
atrada dec4entts road ii 4 thousand years. Under state
cont with thee.s ackkgrounnd of federal authority
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