The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-25
ONE MORE ATTACK
State governments are in peril.


Slowly but inexorably the Federal Government
at Washington is reaching and taking unto itself
the last remaining rights of the individual States
IF these centralizng' tactics should continue for
twenty-five years more" said Daniel Roper, dstin-
guished Washington lawyer and former Federal Off
cia eve will be at loss to find useful purpose
for State governments other than for policing units
in the Federal Government"
That Congress itself is alarmed over this ten
doncy is patent President Cooldges executive order
making Federal dry agents OF city, county and State
police has taken Washington by the ears. That is
expressing it mildly. Nothing that has happened in
a generation has created the furore on Capitol Hill
than has this apparently routine action of the Presi
dent
To give some idea of the situation this morn
ng's Washington Post, organ of the Administration
led its first page with this
The storm Of criticism against President Cool.
idges executive order assumed such proportions
yesterday that Mr.. Coolidge finds himself confronted
with the most united opposition he has encountered
since he assumed the duties OF chief executive"
Then it goes on to relate some of the days de
velopments. Senator Robinson of Arkansas for ex.
ample, declared it to be the most farreaching disre
gard of State rights that had occurred in the last
century
senator Wadsworth chairman of the Republican
steering committee, issued a statement against it,
saying in part
From angle do not regret the order. It
will teach the public the extent to which the Fed
eral government may attempt to go in its grasp for
power over the States and their subdivisions"
Senator King introduced a resolution calling for
an investigation Of the legality Of the order
Attorney General Sargent assumed responsibility
of tho legality Of the order and issued a statement
his opinion
THE Democratic leader was restrained in his
language" admitted the Administration organ above
referred to- but he spoke frankly and was obviously
carried away by his indignation and convic-
tons
THE executive order" declared Senator Robin.
son. which President Coolidge assumed to issue A
few days ago is in my opinion the worst blow though
perhaps it was not intended as such that has been
struck against prohibition think The President has
made a colossal bunder"
It the Federal Government could control the ac-
tivities Of the states along the line mapped out bv
tie order. he declared feeingly that it would onI,
be short time before all State authority would be-
gone the civil service law would be nullifed and
centralized government would have disappeared"
"A remarkable feature OF the proceeding" com.
mented the Washington Post was that no Repub.
lean leader. no administration. no 100 per cent OK
ponent of tie dry cause said word to challenee
or dispute any OF the assertions Of Mr. Robinson
They listened intently. but Senators Borah and
Bruce were the only ones to interrupt and in neither
case was there any suggestion of defending the
order
1t was indeed remarkable feature of a remark
able speech on a remarkable occasion. The States
were once more in revolt against the spectre of
their vanishing sefgoyernment; once more they
we're up in arms against the continued usurpation
by the Federal Government of power that should
repose in the individual States themselves.