The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-09
The President Is Right.

Clevsland's course in ordering fodoral
troops 10 Chicago and other points,
under instructions to prevent INTERIOR
ence with the movement of trains and
to execute the processes OF the federal
courts. II Is even announced that Mr..
Hayes, an official of the Knights Of
Labor, proposes attempting TO impesch
Attorney General Olpey :or interpret
ing the law in support Of the presidents
course. In view, therefore, OF These
facts. it may be well to explain that
the authority under which the presi-
dent acts is derived from section 5s9S
Of the Revised Statutes. enacted July
30, 1891. and section 5299. enacted
April 90 1871. The former section
provides that
Whenever BY reason OF unlawful OBJ
structions, combinations, or assemblages
Of persons, or rebellion against the author
ity Of the government Of the United States.
it shall become impracticGble in the judg-
ment Of the president, to enforce. by the
ordinary course Of Judicial proceedings, the
laws Of the United States within any state
or territory, it 5hall be lawful for the pres
idcnt TO call forth the militia OF any or all
states, and to employ such parts OF the
land and pGval forces OF the United States
as he may deem necessary 10 enforce the
faithful execution OF the laws Of the United
States, or TO suppress such rebellion, in
whatever state or territory thereof he
laws Of the Uaited States may be- forcibly
opposed, or the execution thereof forcibly
ob,truetsd.
Section !. 299 is as follows:
Whenever insurrection, domestic vo-
lence, unlawful combinations, or conspir-
acirs in any state so obstructs or hindars
the execution Of the laws thereof, and oi
the United States. as to deprive any por.
tion or class Of the people OF such state oi
any Of the rights, privileges, or immuni-
ties, or protection, named in the cosstitu-
tion ana secured by the laws for the pro-
lection Of such rights, privileges or i'm
munitiss, and the constituted authorities
Of such state are unable to protect, or
from any cause, fail in or refuse protection
Of the people in such rights such facts shall
be dsemed denial by such state OF the
equal protection OF tha laws to which
they are entitled under the constitution OF
the United States; and in all such cases, oil
whenever any suCh inIurrect ton, violence,
unlawful combination, or conspiracy, op-
poses or obstructs the laws Of the United
States, or the due execution thereof. OIL
imptdes or obstructs the due course Of JUS
tice under the same, it shall be lawful for
the president and it shall be his duty, tC
take such measures, by the employment o.
the militia or the land and naval forces ol
the United States, or Of either, or by Other
means, as he may deem necessary, for tht
suppression OF such insurrectlon, domes-
tic violence. or combinations
1t 10 interesting to nose that even
Governor Alsgeld, of Illinois, in whose
personality disregard for the law has
reached its most humiliating culmina
tion. comedies that the president undel
these statutes, has the power to do al
he has done. In his telegram to thu
president on the night Of July 6, Gov
ernor Altssld admits that "ths exsou-
tive has the command. not only of tbs
regular forces Of the United States, bal
of the military forces Of all the ststei
and can order them to any place he secs
fit" but AltSsld thinks that under
Mr.. Clsvsland's Interpretation of the
law it "would be an easy matter for an
ambitious executive to order out tn,
military forces OF all the statos and Ss.
tsblish at once = military government. .
That this is a more evasion, in the
present emergency, scarcely needs tt
be said. Any effort to expand sections
1898 and $500 into authority for the
establishment Of q dictatorship would
have to receive the sanction OF thC
people before it could succeed; and II
will be time to lose sleep over this pos.
sibility when 1t astually gets in sight.
The president. 10 this instance, ha
acted wholly wishin the bounds of biz
authority He has dono ns.hiag NOR,
and nothing less than his duty. Th,
law is plain and pointed 1t puts into
the chief executive powers adequate
to sudden emergencies and makos hiI
judgment supreme. Nothing short O.
infallibility would better it. 1t il 70,
the people to choose such executives al
they can safely sntrust not only Will
the ordinary authority sufficient TO
routine duties. but with the sxtraordin
ary power necessary to cope with an
common duties, to the end that Law
and the public welfare may be sus
stained in all parts OF our CONNER
country.