This was a favorite feature before the war. At present,
though there are several sets of States whose common in-
terests lead their representatives in Congress to act together,
it is no longer the fashion for States to combine in an official
way through their State organizations, and their so doing
would excite reprehension. It is easier, safer, and more
effective to act through the great national parties.
5. Want of uniformity among the States in legisla-
tion and administration.
The want of uniformity in private law and methods of
administration is an evil which different minds will judge by
different standards. Some may think it a positive benefit
to secure a variety which is interesting in itself and makes
possible the trying of experiments from which the whole
country may profit. On the whole, far less inconvenience
than could have been expected seems to be caused by the vary-
ing laws of different States, partly because commercial law is
the department in which the diversity is smallest, partly be-
cause American practitioners and judges have become expert
in applying the rules for determining which law, where those
of different States are in question, ought to be deemed to
govern a given case.
