The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-12
HON. RICHARD OLNEY.

A CASTOR. the party candidate for Gov
ernor, and was ono Of the features Of the
campaign. Over bo party followers lis
tened to speechss by Richard Olney.
former Secretary Of State; Charles 8.
Ha1nhn, Josiah Quincy. John r. Thayer.
Congressman from the Third District,
Henry H Hollis. Democratic candidate
tor Governor In New Hampshire and
Colonel Castor.
Undoubtedly the speech Of the evening
was that delivered by Mr.. Olney. who
was cheered for some minutes when he
arose. Many greeted him as the next
President.
OFFICIALS ABOVE THD Law.
1.-THE signs Of the times are that under
the regime Of the Republican party. and
through the national governments forty
years Of partnership with the protected
industries, we have come to a pass where
public officials as we'll as private citizens
desm them selves above the law. Witness
the Jealous haste with which the treas
ury rushes to the relief OF Wall Street
SPECTATORS by novel and forced con-
struction Of the national banking law.
Witness the astonishing proceeding OF the
same department in its instructions TO
subordinate officers respecting the duties
to be collected on coal. But the gener-
ally lewless atmosphere in which the
protected Republican reign has enveloped
us Is even more striiingly illustrated py
the recent presidential demonstration upon
the GOAL strike There are those VINO say
that as the President disclatmed any OF
fetal duty or relation to the mater ~
ahom,d not have interfered. There IS
aa,,ethinr to be said for that view
Though his Office is charged with great
frnctions and invested with great powers,
tho president is a constitutional officer,
..-,,,ss-,a -nhara of action is strictly limited
by law. -
.ev1thin that sphere he Is well-nisn
.h~o,,,ta. without. he is legally inpotent
When. therefore. he goes W1tnout !. ehe
danger Is that he may fail and be dehed
and that his great Office may lose prestige
and power, and thus be less capaole oi
ynerformins its legitimate duties.
PC ..Tha PRESIDENT. for example. is our rep
zrasartative with foreign powers. VIII 1t
strengthen his hands that some half
dozar nriyate citizens are found snap
n;no their fingers in his face? The Pres
dents overture to the coal operators Was
nrnrrted by the best motives and should
have Been treated with respectfui conslo-
Grafton. It must have been declined oour-
teously, even il firmly. But the opportu-
tnftv to aQmlNlSteTs
aan+ VAS too tempting. Accordingly he
u,oa not only treated as rash informed
i1,,r hut he was also lectured upon the
law and facts Of the case. and to crown
II, vas notified that the cause OF the
trn,,hles was lawlessness which he was
sarca stically invited to suppress.
"For sheer aueacity. this altitude OF
th,, coal operators could hardly tbs
matched, and nothing could more strong
~ empha size the disrepute into which tho
law Of the land has been brought by long
continued Republican domination.
l,NBLusHING LAWBREAKERS.
..yet who are they who were SO insist
ant mon the suppression of lawlessness
in the mining regon7 Why. the most
mnhIushing and persistent OF lawbreakers.
For wars they have defied the law Of
rannsvlyania, which forbids common car
,1ers enra Rir1e in the business Of mining.
For years they have Disseminated be-
tween customers In the freight charges
on their railroads. In violation Of the In
tersfata commercs law. For years they
have unlawfully 1nonopollzed Interstate
comm cree in violation Of the sherman an
ti.trust law. Indeed, the Very best ex-
c,,sa and explanation Of their astonishing
attitude at the Washing ton conference&t is
mat. having violated 50 many laws for
40 long and ao many times. they might
rirhtfully think they were wholly tm-
1n,nas from either punishment or re-
proach. SEE
AFT fs sometimes urged In sxtenuation
of the coal operators foolishty offensive
tone at the conference that they were
anraRed af the recognition OF labor unions
ara tl,a nresanca By invitation oR fkalP