Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-03-16
! GOV. STONES REPLY.

i GOV. STONES REPLY.
/ Hissouri,s Governor Answers the Criea.
etsm. 81 Judge Philips, or the United
states District Court He Does Not Dony
the Validity or the st. Clair County Debs
HE Gives Remedy to Prevent Cons
1icts Between Federal and state Au-
thorities.
JEFFERSON CRY, Mo-, March 8. Since
Friday last. when Judge Philips Of
the United States district court for the
Western district Of Missouri announced
his decision in the case Of the st Clair
county Judges. Gov. Stone has been
giving the points Of the opinion some
close attention. Up to yesterday MORN
| ing he declined to make any statement
bearing on the decision, when he gave
out lengthy statement on the subject
Among other things, he says that there
is no personal controversy be
tween. Judge Philips and himself.
and that the Judge had repudi-
ated an interview published in
Kansas City paper criticising
the executive. Continuing, the gov
ernor says that he has gone over the
decision thoroughly and, while he con-
siders it carefully-written document,
he does not agree with the court in some
of its conclusions. The governor
makes the point that he has no desire
to discuss the validity of the St Clair
county debt This question, he says,
is only collaterally allied to it.
After thorough review of the enact
ments made by the federal courts
in state matters, the governor, in
pointed language. corrects the claim
that he is trying to defy the federal
courts In conclusion the governor
uses the following language:
On the morning Judge Philips opinion was
printed in St Louis journal Immediately fol-
lowing it there appeared in the columns OF
that journal a communication from Mr.. Thomas
Skinker. who has made much. both Of money
and reputation, Gs q lawyer engaged In prose-
cutting these bond suits against Missouri coun-
ties. in which he advised the general assembly
to wholly disregard my recommendation that
congress be memoralized to put some restraint
upon the federal Judiciary. AS to that the leg
tslature can take its own course. It can follow
Mr.. Skinkers advice il it secs proper.
But the gentlemen of the assembly need not
be frightened by the ghost which my friend,
Mr. Skinker. calls up out of an ancient chapter
OF congressional history Congress will not
pass any law authorizing federal officers to
levy and collect taxes on the property OF our
pSOplc 70 pSty Inc judgments OF 1GQcfdl COURTS.
MemOerS OF the lower house OF congress are
elected every two years. They are fresh from
the people and their responsibility to them is
direct. have no fear OF that. The attempt to
which Mr.. Skinker alluded proved ahortive
even in that day. It can not be done now. But
In any event is not that better than to put our
own officers between Scylla and Charybdis and
thus emharrass the conduct OF our ordinary pub
lie business
What then shall the federal courts do? they
fIxaryI,
they must ex necessitate imprison the minis
terial officers Of the state, they say, or else
their judgments are not effective. Very good;
then go lack to the old rule, which prevailed in
the better days of the republic. when the spirit
as well as the letter Of the constitution was OBJ
served and when state OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
within its proper sphere-was something more
than shallow preterse or hooking dream.
Do that. and these hateful and menacing con-
ficts in jurisdiction will disappear.
am quite sure that the just rights of the CIT
liens are as safe in the hands of the state as OF
the federal Judiciary. I think Judge Philips
was equally as just as Judge when he sat on
the state appellate bench ut Kansas City as he
is now while acorning the bench OF the federal
district court. Hence regret that he has seen
proper TO quote approvingly the insult which
Justice Of the supreme court leveled at the state
judiciary in the case OF Gehpcke VS.. City Of
Dubuque. when he said: We shall never Inn
molate truth. justice and the law because
StdCc tTipuuai has eTccto0 Ing Attaf anu uccreeu
the sacrifice Associate Justice Miller. that
grand old man. from the tench resented the in.
suit at the time. as do now.
state tribunal. = indeed. Since when and by
whom were the federal courts made the special
guardians of the rights OF the people? think
1t safe to say that courts holding such con-
temptuous views OF state authority are danger
Gus tribunals to clothe with power to override
an6i destroy that authority.
BY a strict party vote the joint and
concurrent resolution memorializing
congress to enact a law to SO restrict
the powers of federal courts as to pre-
vent them from interfering in such state
matters as that of the St Clair county
judges was passed yesterday by the
house. This resolution is in accord
with the suggestion of Gov. Stone in
his special message.