Daily Republican., 1883-09-14
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER II, 1883.
The Water Commission Test.

lswlessness" are the terms now used by
the Every Evening to designate those
in this city who oppose the Water Com
mission in its efforts to get possession of
the water department. These terms are
no apt to frighten any body very badly
If that was the intention, and we have
no doubt the friends Of rebellion" so
called will continue on in their rebel
lion until the highest power in the ma
ton defines the degree Of guilt which
il to attach to their acts of lawleSsness
We doubt if there is anybody of ordi-
nary intelligence who will not at
once agree with the Every Evening in
its premses that the State is a bigger
man" than the City Council Of Viii
mingtOn that its representative Legis-
ture can do and undo what it wills; that
it can pass all the commissions it pleases
in its municipalities, and that those who
rebel against the DEGREES of the State
are defacto rebels, and in sense "evan.
gels of lawlessness. 1t is true also
that even if the Water Commission does
not succeed in getting possession of the
water department at any intervening
time between now and the next Legis-
1ature, that body can create another
commission, but whetEer it will be
Stronger than the present commission
will remain to be tested. 1t sounds
very pretilyto hear submission and peace
and order and quietne,s and all other
beautiful beatitudes OF higher life advo.
Gated, but the preaching Of this gospel
Of submission and peace will have but
little effect SO long as the mote remains
in "thine own eye.
There il. seldom question of any
consequence sprung upon the public
that has not two sides, and though the
Every Evening argues thl5 the highest
duty OF =" the friends OF reb.llion and
evangels of w.esNlrs," is to obey the
laws of the State, there i, nevertheless
another side to that position. Not only
that but those who are placed SO uu.
ceremoniOusIy in the position Of rebels
may be imbued with more patriotic
spirit AMI my bn more enterprising
and better ciIlzrnS yuan those who would
submit crave;.ly 10 every unjust act OF
tyranny that ii bigotted and a one-sided
partisan law making power intiicts
upon d long suffering people.
b 3tJre Tn, gre " reDe..iOn merged into
the greatest civil var ever known in
III oderu history it was lawful to support
slavery and deal AMI barter in the flesh
and bloc Of human beings, and it was
unlawful for anybo ly TO oppose by any
act villa eve: the execution Of the slave
co lie. Those who did - we're denOunce d
by the very mic: IAS abiding press Of
the times rs 50 nethu5 AKIN to "triends
OF rebellion ald eVausels OF lawless-
ness" But notwithstanding all this
there was d inln-WiIialn II. seward
who boldly stood up and proclaimed
that there was II ''hI Lurr law that
claimed our Obedience in preference to
the laws luad@ by human ingenuity
that cOntravened all the tiurr feelings
OF orr nature md gave unqualified sup
port 10 the infamous acts that SupDDrte
slavery.
Opposition to a local Water Co,nml5
sion is not of sucn magnitude a8 OppO
sitiOn to the black code, but about the
same principles arr involved III it.
There is "higher .aw' III it and that
law OF Resistance to tyranny springs
unbidden from every heart that loves
liberty and freedom.
Tia is what makes "frieudI Of re,
beilon and evangcis Of lawIes,ueSl. -
If the creation Of the Water CpIniuis-
Sion had not been an act Of tyranny
tnere would nave been LITTLE Or no %
position 10 it, Had it been de.
manded by the eyi@en"ic5 Of the times
there would haT" been 10 opposition T."
it. Had the partisan Legislature have
created it when tie Democrats were in
power in the city the people would then
have given it the credit Of being sincere
at least. But when Il LEGISLATURE 40
far tOrgntS it,:lta As 70 trAmp,c upon the
rights Of the people to rIkr from them
the right Of local sc,I.govrrnment and to
load them with the burthrn Of add j.
honaI taxation simply that discarded
politician may BE- kept ~ place and
power, then resistance 10 tyranny be-
comes duty and it is no more a stigma
to be called the friends Of rebellion
and evangeLs OF Iaw.essness. "
Our up town neighbor might a. well
settle down TO face the Water Commits.
sion question exactly as it exists and
These facts involve two ways by which
the Water Commission can get posses
sion of the Water Department. one of
these ways will be by nhAnge in the
political con struciiUu Of the City COun.
Gil and the other will be by decision
Of the courts IN it, favor. The first by
the most shameless PARTISAN manipua'
lions in districting the wards may be
'''''' "' '''' ''''' vn, Du,
still that is an unsolved problem. Til,
latter requires more time for ".ecisiol
than until next June, but j is the rea
iest upon which the Every Evening ant
ali parties who profess to revere and re
spect justice should unite. 1t must no
be taken for granted that u decision o
~. IA ppurts uriI -,+,i, 81, ,,,,n,