The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-05
AItgeId's Defeat.


An extremely satisfactory feature of the
election was the defeat of Gov. Altgeld OF
Illinois for reelection Although nomi-
| nally democrat, he does not appear to
| be in sympathy with genuine democratic
principles. de had much to do with the
! making of the Chicago platform, espe-
cially that provision of it which inferen-
TALLY condemns President Cleveland for
sending United States troops to Chicago
in July 1884, to put a stop to the efforts
of a mob there to prevent the carrying
of the United States mails. That action
of the President was at the time approved
and commended by the leading democrats
as well as republicans of the country:
Senator Daniel of Virginia offered res
olution IN the Senate. which that body APP
proved, commencing and thanking the
President for his prompt action in enforc-
ing the federal laws in Chicago.
Ever since the 1894 riot Gov Altgeld
has been bitterly hostile to the President.
He has let no opportunity slip to attack
him in the most malignant manner The
feature of his speeches during the cam
paign was the attempt to create an I'M
precision that the President violated the
federal constitution and ignored the rights
of the state of Illinois when he sent
troops to Chicago. He persistently sup
pressed the facts, in order to make out u
case against the President. He insisted
that the President had no right to send
troops into the state to suppress riot
unless requested to do SO by the gov
ernor He well knew that the President
did not send troops to Chicago to sup
press domestic violence, but to open the
way for the transmission of the United
States mails The laws of the United
States government were being violated in
a most fragrant manner, as well as the
laws Of the state. Gov. Altgeld did moth
ing toward checking these violations, and
the President would have been un~
faithful to his trust if he had not sus-
tanned and protected the government Had
he not acted promptly the chances are
there would have been armed resistance
of the most formidable kind in at least
a half dozen states.
The Presidents firm course of action
compelled order at once. The whole coun-
try applauded the President and con-
demned Altgeld. That is what makes Alt
geld so bitter. and that is why he mas
sought by every means in his power 10
injure the President.
He appealed to the people of Illinois
and they have decided against him. They
have declared that he deserved the cen
sure which public sentiment has inflicted
upon him. And it is a good thing for the
country that the decision was against
him. Had he been sustained and re-elect-
ed governor there is no knowing what he
would have done in order to compel the
American people to accept the doctrines
for which he stands.
He is not an admirable character in
many respects. 1t is alleged that he had
hot words with Chairman Jones, because
the latter would not declare that Illinois
was sure for Bryan and Altgeld And
there is ground for suspicion that he and
his followers threw Mr.. Bryan over dur
ing the last days of the campaign in or
der that he might have a better chance
for success. Chairman Jones regarded
Illinois as doubtful and so classed it.
Gov. Altgeld will not, of course, drop
out of public view at the end of his term
of Office, because he is too great a plot
ter to permit himself to remain out OF
politics. He will get before the public IN
some way or other, and remain there as
long as he can, endeavoring to change
our laws and institutions so that they
will conform to the dangerous doctrines
which he teaches.