The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-16
THE STATE RIGHTS SPECTRE.

The Boston Herald has interviewed
by wire the Governors Of several states
in regard to the. course of President
Cleveland in ordering Federal troops to
Chicago and elsewhere to suppress riots
and put down revolution. Governor
Peck OF Wisconsin makes reply which
shows Chat the author of Peck's Bad
Boy mas not only sand but common
seAse, tinged with humor though it
may be, and he says: "As long as Wis.
consin is in the Union she will admit
troops the President desires to send, and
If he has not got enough regulars we can
lend him some. After this war is over
we will hire hall and let the people
discuss State rights as long as they please.
The labor unions have perfect right to
strike in sympathy with their friends
and am told they will. The best thing
l know of 10 keep cool under trying cir
oumstances Is to take the wives and
babies and go out In the woods, up the
river, anywhere, and put in the days of
idleness in picnicking or fishing. Let
the fellows who can't help il do the talk.
ing, but let the majority of them do a
little recreation and they will all feel
better when the order comes to 60 to
work."
Governor Mcconnell of Idaho
strikes the key note when he declares
that: cat first we were all anxious to
learn the merits of the case. That time
has gone by. While we believe that Mr..
Fhllmans workmen had grievance
which should be righted, a greater ques-
tlon-thaL OF maintaining and support
Ing this government that Washington
founded, and to perpetuate which SO
many sacrifices have been made-now
confrohts us, overshadowing all others.
Law and order must be maintained.
Then we will right wrongs of private
individuals, if any exist"
Governor Northen Of Georgia does
not hesitate nor quibble over any ques-
tion of State rights. That question was
settled for the South, as Colonel Waiter
son suggested in bit of verse the other
day, some years back. Governor
Northen Loyalty sends back the answer:
"As understand, the President called
out the troops to protect interstate COM
merce and enforce the orders of the
United States courts. It is my belief
that prompt and effective methods
should be used to quell lawlessness right
at the start"
Governor jackson Of Iowa is another
Governor with sand, and if Altgeld had
been half as loyal and half as plucky
the destruction of life and property in
Illinois would never have taken place.
He gave substantial expression OF
his views some time ago by sending
regiment of militia headed by Gatling
gun, to protect the trains at Sioux
City, where the strikers were
preventing them from running
and he backs this action up by declaring
that it "has always been my policy to
call out the troops early and prevent
trouble before 1t occurs, rather than
wait to suppress 1t after it has occurred.
I fully appreciate the course Of Presi-
dent Cleveland in Chicago, and I feel
like congratulating the country on hav-
ing President with backbone enough
to take hold of the situation vigorously
and protect the national authority"
And one might continue to quote ON
and on and not find a single Governor
outside the Populists' ranks who opposes
or has opposed the Presidents action.
Nor does this limit the approval to
the Presidents course. The people of |
the nation have expressed their satisfac-
tion at the prompt action of the chief
executive in this graphing with a
question that a mere politician would
have attempted TO straddle. There
was no thought of politics or party.
The United States Government had been
set at defiance, its laws violated and the
vast business interests of the nation
thrown into disorder.
Inc interruption OF the free passage
of the mails was treated as an overt act
of hostility to the United States, and
the duty, no less than the right, of the
Government TO prevent lawless obstruc.
ton OF free commercial intercourse be-
tween the states was promptly recog-
nized and President Cleveland rose 20
the emergency and used the authority
the nation had given him and restored
order.
There has been no invasion Of State
rights The United States government
IS the government OF al, the people in
the United States, aud was created by
the people. AS The Herald points out
with the growing complexity of the
great material interests Of the country
and the growing interdependence of all