Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-09-12
ATTORNEY GENERAL HARMON DIS
CussEs ONE OF THEM.
A RIGHT DENIED BY BRYAN.
GOVERNMENT HAS A RIGHT TO PRO-
TECT ITS OWN.
Federal Interference When the Mail
Service or Interstate Commerce
Is Attacked Expressly Au-
thorized by the Con.
stftutiOn.


Washington Sept. 11.-Attorney General
Harmon to-day furnished the FOLLOWING Tor
publication:
II have concluded to give a public an
swer to the many inquiries mace OF me
upon a subject of great moment, to Which
general attention is now directed
MIR. Bryan. in his letter accepting the
nomination for president by the conVen-
ton at Chicago, amplifies the protest
which that convention made in its plat
form against federal interference in local
affairs, which. strangely enough. Is not
found in the platforms of the other con-
veItions which have also nominated MIN.
As nothing else has been proposed 10
which they can possibly apply,t these protests
were intended and are understood 10 DC
directed against the recent action OF the
president in forcibly suppressing riotous
disorders which had stopped the carriage
of the mails and interstate commerce. and
were defying the civil officers OF the Unit
ed States. The president took this action
NJ, onIv x-;tbout the request. but in some
~ ~. ~ as. ~ nrotas, ~ the an
instances against ue - -;ots
occurred, and Mr.. Bryan. taking section
op article of the constitution to be the
~. s,,h,oo, nIadpes birnself apainst
IA" On ine sup1eo ,t.,ation thereof
any repetition OF the Vloiation thefeui'
which his letter necessarily charges. ne
indicates the wisdom of the trainers OF the
,onst,tnt,on bv declaring that the local
oots ho,,ar qualified than the
autnoriues are oelse, aaassi,,, TO- fed-
president to judge Oh the neeesSi's 1oi 1e
eral assistance
-.a-a..ar ,h.n .be money question, or
sefious n.o''ei .hat ore now
any Oh the otner questions .Ao.
before the people, grave as tney ~. aie.
mt nm "
,,,rono decision of those questions, and the
~ a,, a,,d,,ra for q time the evils
people may ehuufe ioi l'e -
which result from false systems OIL hhance
and taxation, but II the president has de-
,,herafeIv disregarded the instrument upon
,-h;oh tha notson &c founded NV supplant-
,rs ,ha authoritv of a soyereipn state by
ing 'ne aulhori'y VI a -.
armed force, precedent mas peeh haoe
which threatens our form OF government;
while If a candidate for president properly
pledpes t;n,se,f in advance as Mr. Bryan
hos don. .o A. nothin1 .o nrotect the
Has oohe' 10 40 ho.nns " po
properly, MAINTAIN the autnority ana en-
force tne avs OF me Umtea Sta.es ar,s unarss
ana untl tne omceIs OF anotner sovet,ni
msnt request or consent, then we IeaMy
nave no iederal government; Ior govern
meht Whicn Is nol ehureIy iIee ~ VS.
torce 70 protect ana malntan user IN 'Hs
olscnarge OF lts own proper iuhctiohs Is
no government az an
NJ Pr,,so ,,fa y. ;s ane !, S.i1ors .he ITnited
aAes sal rs ,s.a ss az .hs stat in
states snaai guaranes 70 every STATE III
me Union ,repuphcan iorm OF govern
nss,iss ais,s,. anu I shai piyeecL eaGI y. men ~
-. i,.is nv aei o ..',s uui I.L,, ".
las S iesh annoy pc conseneul aSaiiise
SIn ScInes.ic sloience. rms secuon p,aIhiy re-
aeainsT inferferenc n with sba,u u t
IsaLnsL .se L.sefisItnce ls WIN fneII authoIRy,-
oy aomesuc violence, ana tney are wisely
mane uns soc Judges Whetner ana Wnen
tney neea suen protection; MT. bryan be
ttaS af +his nronssie, o. 81 rne ,h ea in opsn
IeoeIA assislahce IN dhe clause nave
ou1.ea'
tutop oy & sne express EXP Terms OF g. the S eSnssi-
sia., ~ ma,n.enanee OF the authority or the e1ecu-
slon OF Ine Jaws OF the United States with
a. H. me de,r,.9ry OF tne state. The preven,
Ion ana punishment OF onenses connected
Viii Viii tne mails, with Interstate commerce.
win the aomn1stratfon OF justice in the
leoefai courts. are committed to the gem
eIaI government, and 70 II alone. Such Of
Ienses In nowise menace the general gov
eTnment OF the state within which they are
commltted. therefore, the state cannot re-
Sat'e San pfgtsctIon S.s AGAINST them. The state
tiers. Therefore, II can require no federal
assistance with regard to them.
''Of course domestic violence often os
In the recent riots. is directed aeainst iosh. ab
state and federal uthority indiscrim;n.tsI,
so that either or both NAV s,nnras
And in such cases The antio, PplesS IL
maintainfne its own % antSuuat, aSuun Oh each IN
subtects cnm,nitted =, a. .y over the
ofber pnt r. s,,nh " a =. eehus 70 aio the
in tts oUn ,na.s,avas ~ saeh Eases each is acting
aign sovarr,,o, ue epenusn. Tsn. as soVer-
It rs,'1d IN anu On Is own behalf
it,ssnS myiS oe apsuIo 70 claim that the
SnIoeo Stdtes must neglect Its own in
terests because, IN protecting them, those
OF state may De incidentally protected,
as 10 claim that a state must let riot run
Iree because II happens to be directed
again FEDERAL rights or officers as well as
Its own. This would limit and belittle the
sovereignty of both governments. Inn
perium in imperf would be false
According to Mr. Bryan there is some
where implied in the constitution, for IT is
nowhere expressed a prohibition Of the
use Of force by the United States against
persons who within the limits of a state
may be successf1llIy RESISTING ito of1,cers
and complefely na raIyzing ai, its nnara
fions. as a eovarrment ,Ir,a.. ~ ~. poaa,
authorities shall first make reo,.st or oi "a
consent vi si'e
"'This is contrary .o tho sa.t,.a ,r,-,,,,,
that while the 1a3eror noysrnr,p n ;tieipe ~ ,,e
whose loneratiops arc cHnanad s.. nar,ot 20 III
suhjec.s ~ has ne g S,eu thnna t9 Se.'ai,,
The attrihutes ~ soverairnty apg ~ a az
those is. always and evervw,bare %r,tbin
the territory az the states which comnnsa
N To snnr,ress and nnnish tbnsa ~ ~ :. !, :,
wise interfere with the exerrise ~ i,s 10 ~.
full powers The fact that there are with
in that territory other Toyen.Senfs ever.
cfsirg soyereIgnity over ali matters nor sn
committed to il. can make no difference
under a double form of goyernment. the