The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-01-16
ALTGELD'S MESSAGE
A DOCUMENT FULL OF GOOD
SUGGESTIONS.
He Has Not Changed His Views
on Labor.

SPRINGFIELD ILL.,, Jan. W.-Gov. Alt
geds message, delivered today to the seth
general assembly of Illinois, is very
lengthy document, nearly 10000 words. In
beginning the governor devotes much space
to review of the condition of the various
state institutions and makes numerous rec
concentrations. Among other things he
takes up the question of capital punish
ment, and asks whether the death penalty
does any substantial good; whether we are
any better off than they are in those
states where 1t was long ago abolished;
whether it is not barbarous and degrading
in it's effects, and whether it would not be
better to have more rational system Of
managing our prisons and abolishing capt.
tai punishment entirely.
On the question of civil service, the governor
there is urgent need of legislation that will
relieve executive officers, both state and munich
pal, Of the constant and overwhelming impor-
tunity for place. He doubts the wisdom of a
system that forever keeps the same men on the
pay-rols. for 1t is not calculated to produce the
highest degree of efficiency. A should be
struck between the retention of incompetents
and the distribution OF spols.
The governor. speaking of the administration of
JUSTICE IN LARGE CITIES,
says the condition of business in the courts Of
Chicago almost amounts to denial of justice.
The whole system should be revised and simpli-
fled The governor also calls attention
to the conditions surrounding police and justice
courts N Chicago which he declares disgrace.
The revenue system in this state is declared in
its practical workings to be giant Of injustice.
The governor speaks length of the manner in
which the rich escape proper taxation, and urges
sessmeat of corporations He the state
board Of equalization is a failure, and should be
abolished. The governor calls attention to the
act providing that companies formed for the
publication of newspapers shall be assessed
the property of private individuals is assessed.
Coming down to the question of labor troubles.
the governor says the question of dealing with
them is a difficult No practical method of
enforcing a decree of compulsory ALTERATION has
been found, but there is 10 difficulty in the way
Of making compulsory investigation in every
case and this alone would be a great preventive
as we'll as corrective.
Gov. Altgeld speaks in terms of highest
mendation of the work of the Illinois National
Guard during the troubles of the past year. TAX
ing up the question of
THE GREAT STRIKES,
he reviews the many reports which have been
made and says the placing of United States
troops duty in Chicago under the conditions
that existed presents question of the most far
reaching Importance. The old doctrine of states
rights, says the governor, is in way involved.
Nobody for moment questions the supremacy
Of the Union. The great civil settled that
we should not have anarchy. 1t remains to be
settled whether shall be destroyed by des
potism. Ii the president can, his pleasure,
in the first instance send troops into any city,
town or hamlet in the country under pretense
of enforcing the law, his Judgment being the
sole criterion. there can be no difference what
ever in this respect between the powers of the
president and those of Emperor William the
of Russia.
If the of the president are to stand
challenged and thus form a precedent then we
have undergone a complete change in form
Of government and whatever semblance we may
keep up in the future, career a repub-
lie is over. We will have a rapidly increasing
central power, controlled and dominated by class
and corporate interests. 1t is matter of spe-
cial regret to many of our patriotic citizens,
says the governor that this blow at free iEsti-
tuions should have been struck by president
who was placed in power by party that had
made local self-government cardinal principle
for more than half century.
Government by injunctions'' is dealt with
severely by the governor. who says the usurpa-
ton of power the part of the federal judiciary
has assumed a form where it is destroying the
very foundations of republican government
| These injunctions, he says, very great con-
| venience to corporations, when they be had
| for the asking by corporation lawyer and
these were the processes of court the office which
the president sent federal troops into Chicago
Gov Altgeld speaks of the numerous arrests for
contempt Of court made upon these injunc-
TONS and of the fact that the federal govern
| ment, in spite of having at hand in Chicago the
complete machinery of justice found it neces-
sary to retain another attorney, and he en-
ploye of one of the railroads involved in the
! strike, and adds:
Never before were the United States govern
ment and the corporations of the country
COMPLETELY BLENDED,
| and never before was the goddess of justice
made mere handmade for of the combat
ants. 1t is evident that if the attorney general
| Of the United States did not outline and advise
| the policy that pursued, it received his APP
prevail, and was carried out through his assist
ance.'
When the interstate commerce law taken
| into court by the railroads a few years ago
| these federal judges proceeded to hold sec
| ton after section to be unconstitutional, until
| they had made The law harmless dead
rabbit. Then, after having nullifed act of
congress intended for the protection of the peo-
| pie, they turned around and made of it club
with which to break the backs of the men who
| toll with their hands. If both the constitution
| and our past experience are to be disregarded
| and the federal courts permitted to set up this
new form of government it will be equally
| proper for the state courts to do SO. and
| shall soon have government by injunction from,
| head to toe. All affairs Will be regulated. not
| by law, but by the personal pleasure, prejudice
| or caprice of a multitude of judges
! The marked feature OF the age, says the gov
more powerful these trusts get beyond the con-
| troll OF the government Prompted by instinct OF
self preservation the aborers of the country are
trying to form combinations. Trust magnates are
opposed to this and the federal courts, that have
| been the special guardians of corporations and
combinations, seem determined to crush labor
| organizations In recent years the constitution
| to every pressure intended for the protection of
| the public, while its most plainly expressed pro-
visions for the protection of the liberty and the
personal rights Of the citizen are blown away
with a breath.
! Our government is not in the slightest danger
| from the anarchy of a mob. Our danger comes
| from that corruption usurpation, insolence and
| oppression that go hand in hand with vast con-
| centration of wealth. welded by INSCRIPTIONS
| men, and it behooves every friend Of republican
institutions to give these things most serious
consideration.
|