New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-18
IT'S SINGLE FUNCTION.

7, onroslng ia. resolution adopted by the
Ious. an Monday expressing appreciation Of The
course of The Administration III pu'thg """'
,he late railroad strikes. R"pr'S"nfntlV" bi"""'
Of Missouri. protested with great 'ainrS'h'SN
against the invasion of sovereign STATES u! III"
armed forces Of the United States. ana Tue j"
Prevention ~ the Federal Government III "i''
rers properly belonging 10 The several S'"''N
II sounded Ike an echo ~ the Congressman n'
bates Of 1860 81. when II was urs'r VIII" NV
utnos, yehcmcnce by Democratic h'pr'-'"'
atlyes and Senators That II woiiId D. VI"
latIon Of the Constitution ana d'@',n
hlow 10 free institutions 10 supply the
Federal garrison In Fort Sumter WIN
provisions, or send troops across Long hr'u-'
TO disperse bodies of men In arms hea'''S.
the Government. Mr.. Bland protested III gooh
old fashioned Democratic style, not only against
the use OF troops TO maintain order ana enforce
law. but against Sending depu'y-iiiarSh'iS III
over IN. couutry TO take the place Of State a'i'
thorty." In the adoption of the resolution np
proving the action ~ the Administration III 'ii'S
regard he said: Eve are liable 10 do viol"hce
10 every Democratic principle ana 10 s"rrrhu'r
here In these halls rs representatives Oh tue
people OF our States. the essential DcInocrauc
principle Of local selfgovrrnncnt
Under the limitations which Mr. Bland puts
mon the Federal Government, 1t VIII be CD
served that II Is about the feeb"St ami weakest
and most absolutely useless or all create"
things IL cannot enforce It's own laws or strlke
a blow In its own defence. 1t has no functions
or rather II has, according TO MIR. Bland ana HIS
fellow Popucrats but one function, 10 W.T. 10
mt ITO stamp on something and call II legal
tender for public and private debts. Here was
a case where the violence Of misguided men
and ,ha weakness. cowarlice and ncapacty Of
two or three accidental Governors threatened
| 70 law an embargo on all the railroads ana
transportation companies, stop all business,
compel all workingmen TO cease from labor ana
s,ond stIll In unpruluctlve idencss short. 10
| hal, the whole movement Of the country. And
| according TO the Democratic doctrine OF Bland.
| tbere Was no power IN the Federal Government
| IN nreyent this absolute and universal paralysis
| Of the productive energies Or the Nation. Az
| tho command OF few rampaging bathcrskites
everything must stop, and even the uni'cd
| States Government must stand still ana look
ON. az helpless as the poorest laDorer. until the
blatherskites should consent to let business be
resumed and the worklngmen go back TO their
| tasks The logical result, OF course, would be
that with the cessation Of labor and production
| wages would cease 10 De paln, me small say
inRs OF labor would presently be exhausted, and
millions OF workingmen would be reduced to
want beggary and starvation
And then, we presume, the Government would
he called upon by the Demopulists TO exercise
what they consider Its only legitimate function:
to issue something to be called money for the
relief OF the distressed people The inability OF
the Government to enforce its own laws and
prevent few blathersktes from stopping me
chanica labor and all productive Industry would
be counterbalanced by Its ability to issue money
and distribute II to the Idle and unemployed.
Universal idleness would then be the rule. and
for It the money creating power OF benehcent
Government would furnish reward instead OF
leaving It to suffer Its natural penalty. The
Bland view docs not lack logical plausibility.
II the Government has not the constitutional
authority to protect the citizen In his right to
earn living By his labor, II ought 1t least to