Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-25
REPLY TO COOLEY.
Gov. Altgeld on the Judges
Recent Remarks.
hot FRIENDLY TO THE JURIsT,

Who Is Represented as Having COnstitu-
ttonal Views, Kissed on Gratitude, That
Are In Antagoaism TO Those He Had
When Younger By Thirty Yesrs-His
Present Utterances ''Born Of o Grateful
Dotage," Says the Governor.
SPRINGFIELD, Ills. Aug. 25.-The fol-
lowing interview was had with Governor
Altgeld:
"Ex-Judge Cooley Of Michigan, in ad.
dressing the American Bar association at
Saratoga, criticised your action in protest
ing to Cleveland against the sending of
federal troops to Chicago What have
you so sayf"
Governor Altgeld replied very promptly:
I'm addressing the Bar association Judge
Cooley was in the position Of a fashion
able preacher, who if he wished to be pop
ular with his audience had to cater to its
taste. The American Bar association is q
small body of men, most Of whom have
corporations for clients. They are shrewd
and able men, who know where fat fees
come from. Judge Cooley's utterances
there must be taken with some others re-
Gently made, and the question is, How
much Importance attaches to them simply
because they came from Cooleye
Book on Constitutional Law. 49,
Nearly thirty years ago when Judge
Cooley was in his prime, when he was
teacher in the Ann Artor law school, he
wrote book on constitutional law, which
was an able work and gave him repnta-
ton. In this work he pciuts out the
limitations upon the federal government
md t1S att So H..
that free institutions are in from the en-
croachment of central powe1 through
the agency Of a standing army. Among
other things he says: "A standing army
is peculiarly obnoxious to any free gov
eminent and is more dreaded by the pso-
pie as an instrument Of oppression than a
tyrannical monarchy of any foreign
power. The alternative of standing
army is a well-regulated militia But
after writing this book and while he was
a member of the supreme court of the
state he established a reputation for being
corporation judge, and made himself so
obnoxious that when his term was up the
people OF Michigan arose and put an end
to his career in that state.
Grateful to the President.
"For some years he was out OF a job.
Then congress created the Interstate COM
merce board, and Cleveland, during his
first term as president, appointed the
judge on this board at a salary of $1,000 a
year and expenses, which was princely in
comparison with what he had been receiv-
ing He held on to this place until cou-
pie of years ago. when he retired on ac-
count OF his old age, feeling, as he should,
very grateful to Cleveland. Recently,
after the president had sent troops to Chi.
cago, the judges gratitude impelled him
to rush into print with letter, greatly
complimeuting the president on his act,
but among other things in that letter he
uses This language: 4 am especially graf
flied that great and valuable lesson in
constitutional construction has been set
tied for all time to come with remarkably
little bloodshed'
Has Been Heard of Before.
He thus admits that the constitution
did not clearly give the president the pow
er to do what he had done and that it had
been necessary for the president to give a
lesson in constitutional construction in
order to do it, and the judge was gratified
that this lesson in constitutional construc-
ton had been given with SO little blood
shed. Had the constitution clearly given
the power neither bloodshed construc-
ton or any other construction would
have been necessary. The world has
heard OF constitutional construction by
means of the military before. 1t has hap
pened often. The operations were some
times brilliant but were always fatal to
the patient. When Judge Cooley was in
the vigor of manhood he exrounded the
constitution like II free man addressing a
free people. There was nothing sub
servient in his utterances. and the bright
reputation he then made must not be
clouded by utterances that are born of =
grateful dotagc."