The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-03-14
PROTECT FOREIGNERS.
The Government Handicapped by
Inadequate Legislation.
NECESSITY FOR FURTHER POWERS.

The Riot at Now Orleans and tho Lynch
ing in Colorado May Involve Uncle Sam
in yexatious and Expensive International
Complications.
WASHINGTON. March l4.-Nyith two such
incidents as those of New Orleans and
walsenburg, Colo; facing them, and such
affairs AS the Rock Springs massacre OF
Chinese and tho killing of the Italians in
New Orleans IN the background, tho state
department officials make no secret OF
their apprehension that the United States
Is destined to have serious difficulty in
maintaining its treaty relations with for
oign nations unless congress comes to the
rescue. AS it stands now, owing to the
limitations placed upon the exercise OF the
federal power by statute, the government
finds itself powerless to protect foreign
citizens whom the United States is under
solemn treaty obligation TO protect
Under our peculiar conditions the ma
tional government can only look to the
state to extend protection, and II this is
denied or the measure of protection is in
adequate 1t cannot interfere. Meanwhile
the state itself is wholly FREQ from any re-
sponsibility to the foreign powers with
which the United States has entered into
treaty relations, and these powers are pro-
hibited from even demonstrating with tho
offending state government They can
look for redress only to the helpless ma
tional government. So it Is within the
power of any erratic governor, or weak
mayor, or even an incompetent chief OF
police in any city to force an issue that
can be decided only by war, and the fate
of the whole nation may depend on the
conduct of such officials.
This matter was brought to the attention
of congress by President Harrison at the
instance of the late Secretary Blaine after
the adjustment OF the trouble that threat
ened war with Italy as the result of the
killing of the Italians in New Orleans, but
no action was taken to carry out tho sug-
gcstion, probably owing to the fact that
the necessary legislation might be re-
garded as an infringement upon the old
states rights theory. 1t is very probable,
however that President Cleveland will
feel obliged to again call attention to the
subject at the meeting of the next con
gress, and point out how, in the absence of
such legislation, he is obliged to appeal to
congress to pay out of the money raised by
the whole people large sums for indemnity
for outrages committed by disorderly
element in one small place.
Just what shape the proposed legislation
will take cannot be now defined, but tho
prevailing idea will be to make it the
business OF the United States courts in all
parts of the country TO protect foreigners
in the United Stutes first through the
court deputies, and il that is not sufficient
then through the troops OF the national
government and to do this without delay
in all cases This would require an amend
mont of the law passed with the express
purpose to prevent the use Of troops at
elections but proved to be Of much wider
scope than was intended and would other
wise hurt the srnsihilitlcs Of the strict CON
structionists of the states rights theory,
but as between this and the ever present
danger of becoming involved in q foreign
war without reasonable or just cause ii
is believed that congress will not hesitate
to declare for the law.