Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-07-31

The President calls into use the fong srm
of the federal power and fepresses riot.
| He does not wait for the Governors OF stases
| to call for help. Even against the protest
| IF the Democratic Governor of Illinois, ana
| in opposition to the wishes of the Demo
cratic mayor of Chicago, he sends the
Federal troops into the states where law
lessness exists to repress it, to protect the
conveyance of the mails. secure the free-
dom of interstate commerce, and enforce
the processes of the Federal courts.
Nsyer before in the history OF the gov
ern nent, not even at the breaking ont OF
the Rebellion or, in the notification period,
vas the federal authority in the states
more sternly and absolutely asserted than
by the present Executive in the case of the
recent railroad strikes. And his action was
aim ,st unanimously Endorsed in this House
amid vociferous applause, especially on the
Democratic side, while it found . no less
enthusiastic support in the Democratic SEN
ate.
The President found among the statutes
of his country force bill much stronger
than that which Democrats have SO often
declared against, and which their party de-
feated in the Senate. l mean the Dill 70
secure fair elections in the South and IN
certain great Northern cities, where Demo-
or ats control the ballot boxes and corrupt
the elective franchise. He vigorously ap-
piled that force bill and enforced its execu-
ton at the muzzle of the revolver and point
of the bayonet.
This concentration of federal power you
indorsed with even ostentatious applause.
But, as if you realiz ed that you had repu-
dated your old theory and come over on to
the Republican platform. in which we have
always held and announced that the United
States constituted one nation, with ample
power in its Constitution for self-preserva-
ton, you hasten to begin again to sing your
old song of state rights and the danger OF
the exercise of national authority. Ap-
plause on the Republican side.]
1t is significant fact and glorious
triumph of Republican principles, that
when by the violation of one of these prin-
,iples in your legislation you had reduced
the greatest prosperity known in history to
disaster and ruin, and driven our working
men into idleness, restitution, and despair,
Democratic administration found itself
obliged to enforce q law involving another
Republican principle, the principle of ma
tional authority. to quell riot which the
menace of its own vicious legislation had
indirectly produced. [Great applause on
the Republican side. :;
The q ntleman said again: "Yet the peo-
pie of Missouri, in their interest in legisla-
ton, are as much affected by the vote for
the right or the vote for the wrong, if the
vote be cast by senator from the distant
State of New Hampshire as if it came from
Missouri senator"
And here the gentleman is getting upon
Republican ground-ground which he re-
pudiated when he voted against Federal
supervision of Federal elections. We
declared that while we did not propose
that Congress should NEEDLE with local
elections in the states, yet in the cleo
ton of members of Congress and electors
of President and Vice-President, a man in
M aine is quite as much interested in the
election in Missouri as in his own State,
aud has the same right to demand fair
election in the one state as the federal
government to see that the polls are prop
erly guarded, that the voters are not
deprived of free and safe access to the bal
| lot boxes, and that a fair count and an hon.
est return of the votes are made. Yet
you who vote to indorse the use of Federal
troops in the States, even against the pro-
tests of their Governors, deny the right of
the federal government to protect the cleo
ton of its own officers.
The recent action of the President,
while it shows in a glazing light your
inconsistencies, is a triumph of Republican
principles too complete and conspicuous to
be overcome by any craw-fishing on the
part of Democratic congressman who have
so enthusiastically endorsed it.