The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-01-16
ARE THESE BRIBES !?
UNHEARD OF STATE OF
AFFAIRS IN WASHING.
TON.
Snecial Correspondence

Special Correspondence
Washington. Jan 12-Three re-
cent events in Washington have
taken away the breath of the states
men whose poiitical memories so
back to the days before the Hanna
ideas of politics came into vogue
Possibly they both appear significant
merely through an incidenta! coincl
desce, but, if so, it reflects nearly
as much Oh the tact and common
sense of the administration as It
rejects on its sense of decency if
they arose through desigp. They are
the nomination of James S Harlan
of Illinos. SOD of Justice Harlan OF
the supreme court. to be attorney
general of Porto Rico the sudden
and upwarranted promotion of Capt
F. 3. McKenns, son of Justice Nc
Kenna of the supreme court, to fat
staff position and with higher rank !;
aud the urging of bill by the
administration spokesmen in congress
to. raise the salaries of the justices OF
the supreme court by about 80 per
cent.
At an ordinary time. of course.
reither of these facts would excite
aoy comment other than favorable.
Bot the present is not any ordinary
time The great colonial cases now
pendiDg in the supreme court If
decided one way, will bring honor
and credit on the practices and
Judgment Of the president snd h's
advisers if decided the other way,
they will bring the Republicsn party
to the verge of ruin, compelling it to
reverse all it has done and revoke all
its conduct toward the island possess
sions aud admit that it violated the
constitution and the laws. A such 9
aoment, to offer what might easily
be construed as bribes to the mem
bers of the court 10 either colossal
piece of insolence or else piece OF
unheard of lack of tact and sense
The universal respect with which
Justices Harlan and McKenna are
regarded by the American people.
and the absolute confidence they
have in their integrity, have prevent.
ed open press criticiem which would
surely have been incisive and vigor,
ous under other circumstances
Probably no one for moment thinks
of connecting the personality of the
two great jurists with the matter. 1t
is evident on the face of things that
taey have been thoughtlessly placed
in q position of embarrassment by
the president, whose past reputation
for tact and delicacy renders bis
conduct ia this connection truly
surprising to the country.
How Mr. Mckinley could fail to
realize that the appointment of the
sons of the supreme court justices
to high places, while the case of the
administration against the constitu-
tion of the United States was before
that august tribunal, would excite
criticism and resentment, 1t is ditfi-
culs 10 understand The public know
that the struggle is q desperate oae
to obtain a construction OF our
organic law, which, if given. would
destroy the constitution as the broad
sad sole base of government. and
lay the territories open to . system
OF executive absolutism President
Mckinley could not be oblivicus to
this widespread opinion. Knowing
it TO exist, it appears STANCE that he
should permit himself to do anything
which might justify suspicion. no
matter how unwsrranted, that be
would, or az an honest oficer could,
attempt to influence the judgment or
decision of the sepreme court, or Of
.ny Of its members.
Further, the move by agents of the
administration in Congress to pass
the proposed bill to increase the
salary of Supreme Court Justices to
ffieen thousand dollsrs year, before
. decision in the Porto Rican and
Philippine cases can be banded dowu.
is even more amazing. Never has
anything more calculated to ipjure
the highest tribunal in the land IN
the eyes of the people been corceiv-
ed in American history. 1t lie not
thss spyone would think for moment
thas the proposed bene6ciaries had
the remotess connection With the
psoiec,-the purity Of our greatest