Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-07-06

President Cleveland asking him to
withdraw the federal troops at Chi
cago on the ground that the state of
Illinois is amply prepared to protect
its property and to cope with the
difficulty. In the course Of his re-
quest the governor says:
"lllinois has more railroad men
than any other state in the union,
but as rule they are orderly and
well behaved. This is shown by the
fact that so very little actual violence
has been committed. Only a very
small per cent of these men have
been guilty of any infractions of the
law.
You have been imposed upon in
this matter, but even if by forced
construction it were held that the
conditions here come within the let
ter OF the statute. then | submit that
local government is fundamen-
tai Principel of our constitution.
Each community should govern it.
self so long as it can and is ready
aud able to enforce the law, and it is
in harmony with this fundamental
principle that the statute authorizing
the president to send troops into
states must be construed. Especially
is this so in matters relating to the
exercise of the police power and the
preservation OF law and order.
TO absolutely ignore local gov
ernment in matters of this kind
when the local government is ready
to furnish assistance needed and is
amply able to enforce the law, not
only insults the people of this state
by imputing to them an inability to
govern themselves or an unwilling
ness to enforce the law. but is in
violation of a basic principle of our
Institutions. The question OF federal
supremacy is in no way involved.
No one disputes it for moment, but
under our constitution federal su-
premacy and local self-government
must go hand in hand, and to ignore
the latter is to do violence to the
constitution.
LAS governor of the state of Hi
nois, protest against this and ask
the immediate withdrawal of the fed
eral troops from active duty in this
state. Should this situation at anv
time get so serious that we cannot
control it with the state forces, we
will promptly aud freely ask for fed
eral assistance, but until such time
protest, with all due Difference,
against this uncalled-for reflection
upon our people, and again ask the
immediate withdrawal of these
troops.
The Presidents Reply
President Cleveland has sent the
following reply to Gov. Altgeld's de-
nand:
Executive Mansion. Washington,
ID. c., July 5, 1S94.-The Hon. John
2. Altgeld. Governor of Illinois.
Springfield. H.: Federal troops were
sent to Chicago in strict accordance
with the constitution and laws of the
uaited States. upon the demand of
the postofice department. that OBJ
struction of mails should be removed.
and upon the representations OF the
judicial officers of the United States
that process OF the federal courts
could not be executed through the
ordinary means, and upon abundant
proof that conspiracies existed against
commerce between the states. To
meet these conditions. which are
clearly within the province of federal
authority, the presence OF federal
troops in the city of Chicago was
deemed not only proper but neces-
sary. and there has been no inten-
tion of thereby Interfering with the
plain duty of the local authorities to
preserve the peace of the city.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Mayor Hopkins Ask. for Troops
SPRINGFIELD, H., July 6.-Gov.
Altgcld last night received telegram
from Mayor John p. Hopkins. of
Chicago, asking that the 1st rcgi-
ment, which is expected to go into
camp ut Camp Lincoln near this city
Saturday, be retained in Chicago and
ordered to report at their armory. as
they may be needed by him in u
hours. In reply the governor tele.
graphed Mayor Hopkins:
1--WE will of course hold 1st regi-
ment in Chicago If it is needed, but
nobody has intimated heretofore that
its services might be wanted, conse-
quently the men have all made ar
rangements to be released from busi-
ness from July to II. and if not or
dered out on duty they should be
permitted to go into camp. They
expected to leave Chicago on Satur-
day morning. Wire me again to-
morrow as TO the situation
The governor also wired Brig. Gen
ii. A. Wheeler:
Mayor Hopkins asks that the 1st
regiment be not permitted to leave
Chicago at present. We will wire
you again during the day Ia the
meantime do not allow any of the
men to leave the city"
The LdnEibar coast Is the property OF
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