The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-05
oLNEY ON THE STRIKES.
The Attorney General Discusses Them
in His Annual Report.

In HIS Annual Report.
Washington, Dec. 4-Three topics, the
Pullman strike, the commonwealers and
the Indian territory troubles, claim partic-
ular attention in the annual report of
Attorney General Olney submitted TO
congress to-day. TT is not germane to
this report" he says. ito consider the
origin or the merits of the labor disturb
ance which has passed into history under
the name of the Pullman strike The
relation to it of the department of justice
was indirect and arose only when the rail-
roads of the country became involved,
and the passage of the United States
mails and the movement of interstate
commerce were interfered with. On
the Sth of June last the first assistant
postmaster general informed the depart
ment that there were detention of the
mails at Chicago, San Francisco, St.
Paul, Salt Lake City, Portland. Ore and
Los Angeles, and requested immediate ac-
ton for the relief Of the mail service and
for the punishment of all persons en-
gagged in the obstruction"
The action Of the department of justice
in bringing into action the machinery of
the United States courts is then described
as recorded in the public prints at the
time, and Mr.. Olney goes on to
say: THE strike at Chicago, so
far as it involved the obstruction
of United States mails and the paralysis
Of interstate commerce was practically
broken when the United States troops
reached that city, and being broken at
Chicago, was in reality broken every
where else. 1t was at once realized that
1t necessarily antagonized the laws
Of the United States, and therefore must
fail unless the power behind IL was
stronger than the whole power of the
federal government"
1t is not usually considered fortunate
for property to be in the hands of re-
ceivers, but that fact made il easier for
the United States government to deal with
the "commonwealers of the Christ" This
department" says the attorney general,
became involved because the railroad
properties seized were in the hands of re-
ceivers appointed by the federal courts,
and because these courts at once issued
DEGREES for the protection of the receivers
and their property, and directed the Unit
ed States marshals to execute them. In
very may instances the marshals found
themselves unable to execute such or
ders by any force of special deputies, or
any posse at their command This ina
bility was due to various causes-to the
large numbers of the law-breakers, to
the local sympathy with them. to the
sparsely settled communities traversed by
the railroad lines implicated, and to the
absence of any organized state military
which, though not available for the en-
ApANtAitnl VI Tie OTQETS OF the united
States courts, might we'll have been used
to repress disorder and depreciation How
ever obvious the existence of these causes,
in no case was it taken for grated that a
marshal would not be able to
execute the processes of the
courts. He was held bound to
use his best efforts to execute them. and
If they were abortive, was required TO
prove the fact to the department. not
only by his own representations but if the
circumstances permitted by the coucurr-
ing testimony of the district attorney and
Of the judge issuing the writ Upon such
evidence being furnished, the matter was
called to the attention of the President
with the request that the orders and pro-
| cesses of the courts might be enforced by
such military force as was necessary. The
request was invariably acceded to, the
| troops being used in each case, not as a
| posse cormitatus under the command of
| the marshal, but as an independent instru-
mentality, acting under the immediate di-
| rection of the President through the army
| officer personally in command. BY this
means, the perils of grave situation
were averted, widespread lawlessness was
| checked in its initial stages, great de-
! struction of property was prevented, and
4 large numbers of Observation-Disclosures not so
much from vicious intent as from actual
| and threatened want and suffering-were
/ saved the consequences of serious crimes
and escaped with only moderate penalties"
| The inefficient administration of JUS
| tice" in the Indian territory was called
/ to the attention of congress last year by
/ the attorney general, and only a few
weeks ago, what he terms rampant law
lessness" broke out again in the absence
| of any remedial legislation on the sub
! ject. AS presenting the necessity for ac-
ton better than he can, he presents the
report of the grand jury for the Western
district of Arkansas. 1t says in part:
The causes for failure of a more prompt
| and efficient enforcement of the law in the
Indian territory lie with the law itself, and
! the Interpretation of those laws by the
department at Washington. Two causes
| appear to be most priminent viz:
| AN utter absence of a proper I'M
derstanding of the situation in the Indian
| territory on the part of the congressional
committees having the appropriations for
| the service in charge by the treasury and
law departments of the government, and
by the public generally.
"a failure of the law to provide adj
| equate pay for the service. The latter
cause is the natural offspring of the form
! er, and the removal of the first will I'M
! doubtedly remedy the second, but until
the real situation is understood and adj
equate pay for this service is provided no
improvement in the enforcement of the
law can or will be secured"