The Indianapolis journal., 1894-07-07

degree Of force necessary to this end with
out asking the advice or consent of State
authorities. 1t is as much the duty of the
President to see that the national laws
are enforced it is of local
authorities to see that State laws
are enforced. Governor Altgeld might as
well question the right of United States
marshal to appoint deputies to enforce the
orders of the federal court within the
State of Illinois as that of the President
TO use troops for the same purpose. One
represents national authority as much as
the other. and both represent force. with
out which no government can exist. If
the Altgeld idea were to prevail we should
soon have Governors protesting against
the invasion of States by the national gov
ernment to arrest counterfeiters. mail rob-
bers, defaulting postmasters and other
violators of national laws. The federal
Constitution would be a mere rope of sand
if the national government had to ask
permission of State to enter it for the
enforcement of national laws. There is
nothing in the assumption that a State
must exhaust its power and ask the aid
Of the national government in the enforce
ment OF law before the latter can act.
The President can act of his own motion
whenever he fit to do so. and it is
his duty to do so whenever opposition to
the enforcement of national laws
is formidable enough to require
it. Attorney-general Olney puts
the case clearly when he says
THE soil of Illinois is the soil of the
United States, and for all United States
purposes the United States is there with
its courts. its marshals and its troops.
not by license or comfy, but as of right"
1t is TO be observed that the action of
the national government is directed eX-
clusively to the enforcement of national
laws. Among these are the postal laws
and the interstate-comerce law, by
which Congress guarantees 10 the people
the regular transmission of the mails and
the free movement of interstate COM
merce. Wherever there is a mail train
or freight, the national government guar
antees it protection. Wherever the law
goes the power to enforce it follows. and
State lines are no bar The national gov
and must be its own judge as to the man
ner of doing it. If deputy marshals not
sufficient it has right to use troops, and
equally without the permission of Gov
ernor Altgeld in either case.
The Presidents reply to Altgeld is digni-
fed brief and directly to the point. With
out condescending to argue the question
of the right of the national government
to enforce it's own laws by it's own meth
DDS he simply says. in effect. that troops
were ordered to Chicago in accordance
with the Constitution and laws because
they were NEEDED there. He concludes with
the sharp thrust that there has been no
intention of interfering with the plain
duty of the local authorities to preserve
the peace of the city" If Governor Alt
| geld had been half anxious to enforce
| the State laws and preserve peace and or
der in Chicago as he was to find some
| excuse for protesting against the action
| of the President, there might have been
| no necessity for national interference. Alt
| geld is arrant demagogue, and both he
| and the Mayor of Chicago have been
| had acted as promptly and energetically
as the authorities of this city did the
| strike would probably have been ended in
| Chicago before now. The Governor and
| the closing sentence of the Presidents $