New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-12
THERE is 40 DICTITOR.

The call for q mass meeting ~ workingmen
In this city begins with the Question: (Which
i the Dictator President Debs or PrcSi-
dent ClcvclandT' Truth compels one answer:
"Ncifhcr" There IL no Dictator In This conn
try. and there will b. none. This is Govern
mcnt IL law The President * strictly obs"rv-
ing and enforcing the laws. and II these appear
objectionable 10 any body II citizens. their
proper course Is to ask amendment of the stat
ufcs but not 10 Willy The President for Loyalty
executing laws ~ they exist. President DcbS
Is not Il Dictator and never will be. The Con-
siltution Of the United States makes no room
for such a person I'm the attempted cXcrris" OF
powers which the Constitution does not confer
upon him or anybody else. DcbS has been in
dIc'ol ana arrested for violating law. He had
the right Of every American citizen Ia object 10
law and ask It's modification. Bur he had no
right 20 SCI II aside or amend it himself. without
regard ~ the lawmaking power.
II * only fair 10 rccognlz" fully the fact that
p,bs does not ask the powers Of a Dictator
for himself He Is only the agent and executive
# an organization. ~ President Cleveland *
the agent and executive of another org1niza
fInn The organization which DcbS represents
and which he wishes 10 possess a power above
all law Is the American Railway Union. one
and the Youngest on Of many associations Of
workingmen The organization which Mr.
cleveland represents IL The Government of The
United States. a republic II free people who
make their own laws. II Is a Government
which would ,mpcach and imprison Grover
cleveland without hesitation II he should
friupl,. upon The laws which The people h1v"
made When he Loyalty and faithfully cnforceS
the laws regarding Interference with The com
m.rrc and business of the States. the people
without distinction Of party sustain him.
The people sustain him. but not the law
breakers. nor those who symparhize with them.
II * most lamcntabc fact that many work
Inrmcn forget that the American Railway
Union - not - vet III" lawmaking power in
,hl. c,uufrv and declare their desire - sustain
that organization without regard To III" laws
which II violates Thrsc men 20 too far IN
their sympathy for an organization who's" pur-
noses they approve when they declare sympathy
also with methods which no loyal citizen ~
free country can approve. In their haste be
cause existing laws seem 10 them unfair they
uphold the Hallway Union I'm dsrrgar1ng those
laws as II they bad already been repealed. They
ar,. prone To Ignore the fact that their dislp-
prevail has not yet altered III" laws nor alb
solved them from The obligation of every good
citizen 10 obey the laws until altered: and In
acting rs If their wish and not the statutes Of
the United States were the supreme law OF the
land they are unconsciousy uSurpng the powers
~ Dictatorship for their organization.
II IS n dcplorabp state Of things when large
bodies Of men are impclled by their imp1liencc
for change Into virtual lnsurrcciion against tho
Government. Yet In resisting The laws when
The President Is enforcing. In casting blame
upon him aS II the laws did not exist. IN de-
clarlng sympathy with men who defy ami break
the laws these persons. however cNcrSabl" their
motives may he. do In fact set themselves In
rebellion against the Government OF the nlt'd
States. The same profound pity may be- felt
for them which Abraham Lincoln expressed Tor
the misguided scccsSiouists who attempted III
1851 10 set aside the lnion and proceeded 10
act rs if their wishes had already dissolved The
Union But the warm human sympathy or Mr..
Lincoln could not absolvc him from IN" duty
Of enforcing the laws against all who resisted
Them