The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-07-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, July 9, 1894.

was never more creditably displayed than in
the crisis now upon the country. He recog-
nized from the first that the first and foremost
duty of the President of the United States
is at all times to maintain the authority of
the Federal government, which was defed by
the stopping of mail facilities guaranteed to
the people by the National government, and
by the refusal of rioters to obey the judicial
orders regularly issued by the United States
Courts, and be did not hesitate to order that
the army be used to uphold the authority of
the government No one can regret more
that he that men should have been killed by
the militia, but be is not blind to the fac,
that it is better that men who openly defy the
laws should be, shot down than that red
handed anarchy should be in control even for
single day of any portion of our country
He Intends that the people shall enjoy their
mail facilities and that the dignity and au-
tbori,y of the o. S. Courts shall be main
tained no matter what the cost may be in
money or blood, and his entire cabinet and
an overwhelming majority Of Congress re-
gardless of politics, are behind him.
1t is a matter for regret that several demo-
cratic governors Of states and few demo-
Gratis iu Congress should have confused the
question of states rights with the patriotic
policy which the President has adopted. 1t
is mistake. There is--,here can te-no
connection between the two. Nothing has
been done by the administration to interfere
with the rights of any state, and nothing
will be DONE 1t is for the preservation OF
the rights Of the National government that
the President has ordered that the tied mp
Pacific railroad shall be operated las pro-
vided for in their charters) as military post
roads, and that o. S. troops be used 10 see
that the mails are not DISTRACTED upon any
railroad and that government property ispro-
tected.
The government that does not maintain its
own authority canno, retain the respect and
allegiance Of its people. The United States
government claims no authority to interfere
with railroad or any other strikers, but when
strikes are made the means for the propoga'
tun of anarchy and the defiance of National
authority it may be relied upon to act, as
long as President Cleveland is a, its head.
There is nothing in common between
patriotic American and the teachings o!
anarchy, and there cannot be doubt that
President Cleveland will receive the thanks
of all good Americans for the promptness and
decisiveness with which be has acted IN sup
pressing anarchist tendencies.
There is no mistaking the sentiment which
caused the democrats of the House TO vigo'
rously applaud the plain words Of Chairman
Wilson conceroing the Senate amendments to
the tariff bill, which the House refused to
concur in and which are now being consider
ed by q Conference committee of IA members
seven Senators and seven Representatives.
Mr.. Wilson said concerning the work Of the
Ways and Means committee of the House:
''the committee performed their work honest
IL, deliberately and to the best of their
ability. The bill was based upon the prin-
ciple that, in gathering revenues, taxes
should be levied upon finished products and
not upon raw material, which was in accord
ance with a great fundamental democratic
idea. The bill comes back from the Senate
and does not recognize that principle. Only
wool and lumber have come back undisturb-
ed by the Senate amendment" The Con-
fereace committee held its first meeting to-
day. Daily meetings will be held and pro-
gress will probably from time to time be
reported to the House and Senate, but it is
hardly possible that the committee can con-
clude its labors inside of two weeks, although
there are not more than Is of the amendments
over which there will be any serious difficulty
in coming to an agreement.