The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-10-18
OLNY ON THE ISSUES.
IawIessHess Of Capital Under
Republican Rule.
me INSOLENCE OF THE COAL BARONs
"Law, Supreme and Equal for all, Is
the Ark Of our Covenant"

At dinner given 10 Boston last
week in honor of Col. W. A. CASTOR,
democratic candidate for governor,
Richard Olney was the principal
speaker. He said in part:
II welcome the opportunity to
declare my belief not unly that the
demccratic rarfy is beaded in the
right direction and Is iOlelably sure
Of ultimately recovering its old-tlme
Iascendancy, but that result is essential
lto the welfare of the American peo-
( pie. There is one aspect OF the
present situation to which / desire
especially to call your attention.
"Tbe vital principle as well as dis
tipguishing merit OF our political in
stitutions consists in liberty regulated
by law. With the exception of the
two Cleveland administrations, the
republican party has been in control
OF the national government for a
period of more than forty years
Where it has landed us as respects
liberty / will not now consider. Bot
where it has landed us as respects
law, which has no right to the name
unless it is the same for the million
aire and for the beggar?
"The signs Of the times are that
under the regime OF the republican
party and through the national gov
ernment's forty years of partnership
with the protected industries, we have
come to a pass where public officials
Tas well as private citizens deem them
selves above the law. Witness the
jealous haste with which the treasury
rushes to the relief Of Wall street
spectators by novel and forced con-
~strnction OF the national banking
law. Witness the astonishing pro-
ceeding of the same department In its
Instructions to subordinate officers
respecting the duties to be collected
On coal
"Bnt the generally iawless atmos-
phere in which protected republicans
reign has enveloped US even more
strikingly illustrated by the recent
presidential demonstration upon the
Coal strike. There are those who say
that, as the president dsclalmed any
Official duty or relation to the matter
he should not have interfered. There
is something to be said for that view
Though his office is charged with
great functions and vested with great
spowers, the president is a constItu
tional officer, whose sphere OF actor
Is strictly limited by law. Withir
that sphere he is well nigh absolute
without 1t, he is legally impotent
When, therefore, he goes without it
the danger is that he may fail and b.
dehed, and that his great office ma,
lose prestige aud power and thus b
less capable Of performing its legItl
mat duties.
I4 he presidents overture to tn
,cOal lerators was prompted by tn
best Dtives and should have bee
trea with respectful consideration
tin AT have been declined courteous
ly even If tirmly. But the opportunit
to administer snub to the pres den
was TOO tempting. Accordingly, h
was not only treated as rash intel
meddler; he was also lectured upo
the law and facts OF the case, and, I
crown all, was notified that the caus
Of the troubles was lawlessness whic
-vhe was sa'castically invited to SUI
press.
"For sheer audaclty this attltud
Of the coal operators could hardly /
matched, and nothing could MOI
emphasize the disrepute into VIII c
the law Of the land has been brougt
BY loog continued republican domiui
tion Yet who are they who were
insisIent upvn tie suppression OF lag
lesSness in the mining egionsg VII.
the most unoiIsllng and persi tent
awbreskers For years they ha'
ueii'd The law q Pennsylvania whiC
iofbids common carriers engaging
the business o. mining For yea