The record-union., 1896-09-14
A POWERFUL ARRAI IGNMENT.

When Mr.. Harmon, Attorney-General
of the United States, said in his opin-
ion given to the public through the press
on Saturday, that the expression in the
Chicago platform concerning Federal
interference in local affairs, he consid-
cred Of far more Importance than the
free silver issue. he spoke with full fore
sight into the difficulties and dangers
into which the country Will be led should
Mr.. Bryan be elected, and his threat to
make practical every plank in the plat
form be carried out.
The Record Union" has repeatedly
called attention to the proposition Of
the Bryanites to paralyZe the Govern
ment arm, and substitute State incom-
petency of executive power for Federal
duty to preserve the interstate rights
of the people and maintain republican
form of government.
The anarchical and revolutionary
plank-and it is nothing else-is ampli-
fed by Bryan in his letter of acceptance.
That the plank was aimed directly at
the case of the strike riots Of 1894, and
as no explanation or construction Of the
plank by its supporters to the contrary
has been ventured, 1t must be taken for
granted that If Bryan were elected
and another domestic insurrection like
that Of "a should be Matched he would
refuse to interpose Federal power to
clear post roads, or to uphold the rights
Of he fn yIyifh
their commerce from one State into and
through another.
The exact words of the plank which
Mr.. Bryan says will control his policy
if he Is elected are: I'VE denounce ar
bitrary interference by Federal author
ity in local affairs as a violation of the
Constitution of the United States and
as crime against free institutions, and
we especially object to government by
injunction" etc., etc.
There can be NO mistaking the refer
snoe of these words. They point one
way and in only one direction; they
echo and largely repeat the words of
Debs and the leaders of the mob In ad-
dresses sent to the President and issued
to the public in the time Of that dark
hour in "a; they are almost word for
word the expression of Governor Alt
geld at that time. and almost repeat the
famous message of defiance and warn
ing issued by two Of the leaders of the
insurrection to the President as a chal-
lenge Immediately preceding his order
to the military to interfere and preserve
the rights Of the people and restore or
der.
The AttorneyG General has taken up
this subject with vigor, courage and in
q patriotic spirit. He has no hesitation
about calling things by their right
names, and in saying that the issue
presented by this revolutionary and
traitorous plank rises superior in it's
seriousness to any other matter in the
campaign.
Mr.. Harmon points out that Mr.. Bry-
an misinterprets the Constitution and is
unsound In his claim that In such a
case as that OF '94 the matter is one for
state authority alone. II the Govern
ment of the United States waits for
state authority to call upon it to main
tain the laws. the imperiling Of which
is such as to threaten the integrity Of
the Government and place its citizens at
the mercy Of insurrectionists. then the
whole fabric Of the Republic is depend
ent for its stability upon the will, mis-
Judgment, incompetency or treachery Of
a State executive.
As General Harmon puts it. "a gov
ernment which is not free to use force
to protect itself and maintain itself in
the discharge of Its own proper func-
tons is no government at ALL" He
thus follows the declaration of Abra-
ham Lincoln when he was confronted
with the proposition that the Federal
Government had no right to interfere
in the South to protect the Federal
property. maintain the Federal flag up
on the buildings Of the United States.
and to suppress incipient rebellion.