Daily Kennebec Journal

"My dear fellow executives and fellow sufferers," said President Taft in addressing the governors in session at Washington. Evidently the President has not permitted the cares of state to spoil his sense of humor. His "dear fellow executives" caught just the thought he meant to convey. Chief executives, whether of countries, states, cities or organizations are expected to stand a certain amount of unjust criticism as well as to accept and ponder upon just criticism. It is a part of the game.

Having put the governors in good humor by his opening sentence, the President proceeded to discuss the tremendous power his hearers have for molding public laws. He expressed confidence in the constitution as a document sufficiently broad and well drawn to suffice for our needs forever. He made it clear that its very permanency has its advantages. Then he told them that uniformity of state laws would make this country capable of accomplishing much more work for the public good.

There are thousands of subjects of legislation, introduced, debated and legislated upon by the states, in which the neighboring states have no interest. Any attempt to bring about a uniformity of state laws in such cases would be a needless waste of time and energy and the result would be far less satisfactory than would be the case if the states each passed laws fitting the conditions as they exist in that state.

There are other matters, however, in which uniformity of legislation is not only desirable, but may be said to be really necessary if they are to accomplish anything. Game laws constitute one class where conference with a neighboring state can accomplish great good. Good roads legislation is another. Automobile laws, divorce laws, and many other classes of legislation could be made more efficient if they conformed in general with the laws of all the other states.

Those who have to do with the making and execution of laws have come to recognize this within the past few years. The meeting of the governors is one of the results of this realization. Called primarily to discuss the conservation of the country's resources, it soon found that that was but one of the many subjects which could be discussed to advantage. Hence this second meeting.