Evening star., 1898-10-28
Under What Law. Gov. Tanner:

Governor Tanners latest declaration con-
corning the Importation Of iaborers from
other states into Illinois draws clear Is
sue of law between him and the operating
mine owners. He says that he will meet
any such mob at the state line with Cat
ling guns and blow it to pieces In other
words. he viii forcibly resist, presuma bly,
ty virtue of his executive authority, the
free passage into the state of workingmen
seeking employment. on the ground that
they are under contract and that their
presence in the state would be demoraiz-
ing.
Aside from the original question of re-
sponsbility for the rioting and slaughter
at Virden, which The Star has already dis
cussed al some length. II is plain that Gov.
Tanner has succeeded since the event in
maintaining peace at the scene of the dis
pute, whatever difference of opinion there
may be concerning the wisdom of his choice
OF methods. The governor is now Ostensi-
bly, seeking to prevent occurrences of the
conditions which led to the outbreak and
he chooses Gatling guns the proper
means to this end. 1t is to be questioned in
the begir ming whether ne would not be more
effective in preserving the peace and pre-
venting blOodshed if he sought the aid of
the state or federal courts, meeting the
mob" or the mine owners with an injunc-
ton instead of q volley of bullets. Assur-
edly. if there be a law in force in Illinois
to permit the governor to go as far as the
Use of force at the state borders. there is
statutory authority for him to go about
the exclusion of the would-be immigrants
in an orderly, pacific manner.
The governor asserts that he is justified
in his position by the fact that the United
States has seen fit to exclude certain
desirable classes of foreigners from en-
trance into this country on the ground that
their presence here would tend to degrade
and dernoralize social and Industrial condi-
tons. Arguing from analogy, the governor
declares that equal right is vested in
the state-in him-to keep similarly men
acing class of people from the state. 1t
may be doubted whether d President of
the United States would be justified in
taking any acton of this sort without the
warrant of specific law. The President
would ur-der such circumstances be arbi-
trarily constituting himself judge and jury
as well as legislature. an assumption which
would undoubtedly be speedily rebuked by
the constituted authorities. 1t may also
be doubted whether the governor of a state
tltt- d TlSil Oh Tue klnU asserted Wnlcn tne
President Of the United States lacks.
Governor Tanners proposition Is to re-
strict the free passage of the people of
one state into another, to interfere, In
short, with the intercourse of the people.
He proposes to attain this radical end by
use of the most radical remedies He will
build barrier of fire and blood at the
state boundaries, and dictate who shall
enter. He will himself adjudge the char
acter of working men entering the state,
rejecting by force those whom he personal
ly considers unworthy or likely to lower the
moral tone of the state. Thus the question
broadens into a national affair. for it af-
fects the rights of the people of all the
states. and it becomes important to learn
under what state law the governor is act
ing. CT, if there be no such law in exist
ence, on what grounds he presumes to act
on his own responsibility. without law. in
threatening TO adopt the remedies of death
to cure the evils to which his previous in
action has contributed.