Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-15

a common fortune. 1t was the express
sion Of a desire for a yet unformulated
plan for a Federal Government. How
great a part Virginia was to play In
the final adoption Of such Govern
ment was by this action already indl'
Gated. When that great test came
some years later 1t was the known
wish of the great Washington, aided
by the superb reasoning powers OF
Marshall, notwithstanding the direct
opposition Of Henry, that caused Vir-
ginia to ratify the Federal Constitu-
ton at a time which was again de-
cisive in the formation of the Union.
For a second time the action OF this
great Commonwealth was the de.
termining factor in the destiny of
America.
1T is impossible to lay too much
emphasis upon the necessity OF max
| ing all our political action of the Fed
eral Government harmonic with the
principle of national unity. For many
years now this course has been great
| 1y impeded from the fact that those
who substantially think alike have so
oftentimes been unable to act alike.
Our country ought to be done with all
sectional divisions and all actions
based upon geographical lines. Wash
| ington warned us against that danger
in his Farewell Address. Experience
has time and again demonstrated the
soundness Of his advice and the
breadth of his wisdom. 1t would be
difficult to suggest anything more
likely to enhance the progress of our
| country than united political action in
all parts of the Nation in accord with
the advice of Washington for the sup
port and maintenance of those princi.
| pies of sound economics and stable
| constitutional government In which
they so substantially agree. All sec
| lions have the same community of
interests, both in theory and in fact,
and they ought to have a community
| in political action. We cannot deny
that we are all Americans. To at
tempt to proceed upon any other
| theory can only end in disaster. No
policy can ever be a success which
does not contemplate this as one
! country.
| Chance for Minority Rule.
THE principle that those who think
| alike ought to be able to act alike
wherever they happen to live should
be supplemented by another rule for
| the continuation OF the contentment
| and tranquility of our republic. The
| general acceptance of our institutions
| proceeds on the theory that they have
been adopted by the action Of ma
! jority. 1t is obvious t.lat IL those who
hold to the same ideals of government
| fail to agree, the chances very strong
| ly favor a rule by minority. But
there is another element of recent de-
| velopment. Direct primaries and direct
elections bring to bear upon the polit.
| ical fortunes Of public officials the
greatly disproportionate influence OF
organized minorities. Artificial propa-
ganda paid agitators. selfish interests,
| all impinge upon members OF legis-
| lative bodies to force them to repre-
| sent special elements rather than the
great body of their constituency.
| When they are successful. minority
| rule is established, and the result Is
an extravaganza on the part OF the
Government which is ruinous to the
people and a multiplicity OF regula.
lions and restrictions for the conduct
Of all kinds Of necessary business.
which becomes little less than oppres-
sive. Not only Is this one country.
but we must keep all its different
parts in harmony by refusing to adopt
legislation which 10 not for the general
welfare.
| THE resolutions did not stop here.
| Had they done so. they would have
been very far from compromising
and expressing the necessities of the
American people. They went on to
provide that the regulation of the
internal concerns of each Colony be
left to respective colonial legislatures
This was a plain declaration Of the
unassailable fact that the States are
the sheet anchors of our institutions.
| If the Federal Government should go
out of existence, the common run OF
people would not detect the difference
1 in the affairs Of their daily life for a
| considerable length OF time. But II
the authority of the States were
| struck down, disorder approaching
chaos would be upon US within "a
| hours. No method of procedure has
ever been devised by which liberty
| could be divorced from local self.gov'
| eminent No plan Of Capitalization
| has ever been adopted which did not
result in bureaucracy. tyranny. in
| f1eXibility, reaction and decline. OF
| all forms OF government, those admin.
istered by bureaus are about the least
| satisfactory to an enlightened and
progressive people. Being irresponsi-
BILE they become autocratic, and being
autocratic they resist all development.
Unless bureaucracy is constantly re-
sisted, it breaks down representative
| government and overwhelms democ-
racv. 1t is the one element in our
| institutions that sets up the pretense
! of having authority over everybody
and being responsible to nobody.
Local Rights Stressed.
while we ought to glory in the
| Union and remember that 1t is the
source from which the States derive
their chief title to fame. we must also
recognize that the national admins.
tration is not and cannot be adjusted
| to the needs Of local government. 1t
| is too far away to be informed Of local
needs, too inaccessible to be responsive
to local conditions. The States should
not be induced by coercion or by IA
vor to surrender the management of
their own affairs. The Federal Gov
eminent ought to resist the tendency
to be loaded up with duties which
the States should perform. 1t does
not follow that because something
ought to be done the National Gov
| eminent ought to do it. But, on the
other hand, when the great body of
public opinion Of the Nation requires
action, the States ought to understand
that unless they are responsive to such
sentiment the national authority will
be compelled to intervene. The doc
trine of State rights is not a privilege
to continue in wrongdoing, but a priv.
ilege to be free from interference in
welldoing. This Nation is bent on
progress. 1t has determined on the
policy of melting out justice between
man and man. 1t has decided to ex-
tend the blessings of an enlightened
humanity. Unless the States meet
these requirements. the National Gov
eminent reluctantly will be crowded
tk ~ 11x, wfr~Nr n
authority at their expense. I want to
| see the policy adopted by the States
Of discharging their public functions
so faithfully that instead Of an eXten.