The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-03
HIS POWERS ARE LIMITED
Why Governor Hovey Cannot Interfere
to Suppress the White-Cap Evil.
He Feels Keenly the Disgrace the Outrages
Bring Upon tie Name Of the State-The
Power Lies In the Hands of the People.

The average citizen of the State has q
dim idea that the Governor is clothed with
dictatorial powers. Almost daily Governor
Hovey receives letters making various re-
quests based upon this theory. One woman
wants the Governor tointerfere and get her
son out of county Jail: farmer claims
that court has unjustly decided against
him in a civil suit over q line fence. and
wants the Governor to interfere and see
that justice is DONE and not few request
him in general way to suppress the White
cap disgraces. This last Is q matter in
which Governor Hovey feels very keenly
the helplessness of his position. IL wish"
said he last evening, "the people under
stood how absolutely powerless the Gov
ernor of Indiana is to suppress this crying
evil under the present legal conditions
The courts, in whose hands is the entire ma
chinery for the administration of justice.
are entirely independent of the Governor
He has no more right, under our Constitu-
tion and laws, TO interfere with them than
you have. Only in casa or open riot, of
overt armed defiance of the law in the per-
sons of Its proper executors. is he empow-
cred 10 act. Then he may call out trOopsan
suppress the riot. But with q case like this
White-cap disgrace he can only sit still
and mourn an evil he Is pewerless
to remedy. Witnesses will not testify.
grand jurIes are afraid to lndict trial ju-
rors are afraid to convict. and sometimes
even judges are afraid to properly charge;
the fear of vengeance, of bodily harm from
the accused or their friends, permeates the
whole county in certain districts and
makes IL impossible 10 convict or even
bring to trial the men implicated in these
outrages Although this Is practical def
ance of the law. it does not constitute the
riotous demonstration, the overt defiance
that admits of interference by the Gov
ernor. Yet IL Ia impossible to prosecute
them outside the counties In which the
outrages are committed. Both the State and
national Constitutions give the accused the
right OF trial In the district In which 1t
is alleged his crime was committed.
If the prosecution could demand a change
of venue the problem would be simple
enough. Now, had q request the other
day from minister to send couple of de-
tectives to investigate White-cap case.
Ii would be an easy matter to lind out who
the cuiprits arc. but 1 have no money for
any such purpose at my command. and If
had would be powerless to act upon such
information as the investigation might
produce.
'Our whole system of government" said
the Governor in conclusion. lis founded
upon the theory that our people are capa-
bic of self government. local as we'll as
State and national, and. notwith-
tiles thus far to suppress this
evil. am firm in tho faith that the theory
Is correct The disturbers are very small
element. even In the counties where the
outrages have been most numerous. The
vast majority of the people are law-abid-
ing and have no sympathy with them. Let
the people throw OFT their terror or their
lethargy. Is the case may be. let .hem as
sert their strength and give courts aud iu-
ries To understand that they will be pro-
tected and upheld if they do their duty.
and condemned if they do not. and this
terrible blot will soon be removed from the
fair name of Indiana"