The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-20

Senator Jones says there is nothing in any
Democratic platform or in the utterance of
any single leading Democrat to Justify the
charge. Let us see as to that The Chicago
platform declared as follows:
We denounce arbitrary interference by
federal authorities in local affairs as viO-
lation of the Constitution of the United
States, and crime against free institu-
tions, and we especially object TO govern
ment by injunction as a new and highly
dangerous form OF oppression, by Whlch
federal judges, in contempt Of the law or
the States and rights of citizens, become at
once legislators. judges and execuuoners
There has never been an instance of ar
in local affairs. The foregoing resolution
grew out of the action of the federal au-
thorities in interfering during the Pullman
riots in Chicago, in 1894. On that occasion
President Cleveland. in reply TO an i'm
pertinent message from Governor Altgeld.
said:
Federal troops were sent to Chicago in
strict accordance with the laws and Con-
stitution OF the United States, upon the
demand OF the Postoffice Department that
obstruction OF the mails should be re-
moved. and upon the representations of the
process of the federal courts could not be
executed through the ordinary means, and
upon abundant proof that conspiracies
existed against commerce between the
States.
This was the arbitrary interference
denounced by the Chicago platform. and
the government by injunction was the
order of a federal court to maintain the
authority of the government and protect
property and life. In his letter of. accept
| ance, in 1896, Mr.. Bryan expressed his APP
prevail OF this resolution, as he did in many
| speeches. The Populist convention which
| nominated Mr.. Bryan in 1896 declared
against 1.-The arbitrary course of the courts
in assuming to imprison citizens for indi-
rect contempt. and ruling by injunction"
Mr.. Bryan Endorsed that also. The Kansas
| City convention reiterated the Chicago
| platform of 1896, and Mr.. Bryan Endorsed
| that also He is, therefore, committed as
| fully as man can be against the right Of
the federal government to send troops into
| any State for the protection of its mails
and execution of orders of its courts with
out the consent of the Governor of the
| State, and he is also fully committed
! against the right of federal court to issue
| an injunction for the protection of prop
| erty. 1t follows, logically, that Mr.. Bryan
would not appoint any person to a federal
| judgeship, whether in the Supreme Court
| or in the Circuit District Courts. who
did not agree with him in this view of the
case. All his appointments of judges would
be of persons who agreed with Governor
| Altgeld in the controversy of 1894. How
many judges he might have to appoint no
one can tell. but they would all be of the
kind indicated. To all intents and purposes
that would be packing the courts for pur-
| poses of his own.
| But there are other reasons for believing
| that If elected President, Mr.. Bryan would
| appoint judges holding different views from
| any now on the federal bench. lie is bit
| terly opposed to the national bank law.
| which. he holds, is monopoly and uncon-
stitutional. He would not appoint judge
| who believes the law constitutional. He be-
lieves, above everything else, in the free
and unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio
| of 1s to 1. He would not appoint a judge
| whom he did not know to be opposed to all
| legislation in favor of the gold standard.
! He is in favor of an unlimited issue of
legal-tender notes by the government, and
| would not appoint judge who favored the
| redemption, retirement limitation of
such notes. In short, If Mr.. Bryan is a
| y. I.
claim, he would appoint no federal judge
who did not hold all the views he is now
| preaching on the stump. Whether one term
would enable him to appoint enough
| judges to get the support of the courts for
| these views is not the question. That he
| would do his best in that direction there
| is no doubt. This would be virtually pack
| ing the courts.