The progress., 1904-10-01

tinue during the ages to come, for the
beneft of those who shall succeed us. we
must ever be on our guard against the
danger of usurpation Of that authority
which resides in the whole people,
whether the usurpation be by officials
representing one of the three great de-
partments Of government, or by a body
OF men acting without a commission
from the people.
Impatient OF the restraints Of law,
as well as Of Its delays, is becoming
more and more manifest from day to
day. Within the past few years many
instances have been brought to our at
tention. where in different parts of our
beloved country supposed criminals
haYe been seized and punished by a
mob notwithstanding the fact that the
constitution of each state guarantees
TO every person within its Jurisdiction
that his life his liberty or his prop.
erty shall not be taken from him with
out due process Of law.
In a struggle between employers and
employees, dynamite is said to have
been used by the latter, resulting in
the loss of life and the destruction of
property. The perpetrators Of this Of.
| tense against the laws Of God and man,
and all others engaged in tho con-
spiracy with them, should, after due
trial and conviction, have had meted
out to them the most rigorous punish
ment known to the law. This crime,
added perhaps to others, led to the
formation Of committee of citizens
that, with the support Of the military
authority, deports from the state,
without trial, persons suspected of be-
longing to the organization of which
the perpetrators Of the dynamite out
RACES were supposed to be members
In both cases the reign of law gave
way to the reign Of force. These
illustrations present some evidence of
the failure of government to protect
the citizen and his property. which not
only justified the action of your con-
vention in this regard, but made 1t its
duty to call attention to the fact that
constitutional guarantees are violated
whenever any citizen Is denied the
right to labor, to acquire and to enjoy
property, or to reside where his inter-
ests or inclination may determine; and
the fulfillment of the assurance to re-
buke and punish all denials Of these
rights, whether brought about by indi-
viduals or government agencies, should
be enforced by every official and sup
ported by every citizen. The essence
Of good government lies in strict OBJ
servance Of constitutional limitations,
enforcement of law and order and
rugged opposition to all encroachment
upon the sovereignty Of the people
The foregoing suggestions but en-
phasize the distinction which exists
between our own ard many other
forms of government. 1t has been we'll
said, in substance, that there are but |
two powers in government, one the
hand that wields 1t, and the other the
power of the law, sustained by an en-.
lightened public sentiment. The diff
ference in these powers is the differ
ence between a republic-such as ours,
based on law and written constitu-
tion, supported by intelligence. virtue
and patriotism-and a monarchy-sus-
tanned by force exerted by an individ-
ual, uncontrolled by laws other than
those made or sanctioned by him; one
constitutionalism, the other
The present tariff law is unjust in
its operation, excessive in many of its
rates and so framed in particular in
stances as to exact inordinate profits
from the people. So we'll understood
has this view become that many prom
inent members of the republican party,
and at least two Of it's state cohven-
tions, have dared to voice the general
sentiment on that subject. That party
seems, however, to be collectively able
to harmonic only upon plank that
admits that revision may from time
to time be necessary, but 1t is SO
phrased that it Is expected to be salts
factory to those in favor Of an increase
IF duty to those who favor a reduction
thereof, and to those opposed to any
change whatever.
Judged by the record Of performance,
rather than that of promise, on the
part of that party in the past, it would
seem as II the outcome, in the event of
is success, would be to crafty the lat
.er class. With absolute control Of
both the legislative and executive de-
,artments of the government since
March 4, 1897, there has been neither
'eduction nor an attempt at reduction
n tariff duties. 1t is not unreasonable
o assume, in the light of that record,
hat a future congress Of that party
will not undertake revision of the ;
ariff downward in the event that 1t 1
hall receive an endorsement of its past ,
course on that rubject by the people.
t is a fact and should be frankly con- {
eded that should our party be success ,
ul in the coming contest we cannot
lope to secure majority in the sen
tie during the next four years, land |
lence we shall be unable to secure any |
in the tariff save that to [
which the republican majority in the {
enate may consent. While, therefore, d
We are unable to give assurances of +
elief to the people from such excessive q
Iuties as burden them, 1t is due to I
hem that we should state our posi- I
ion to be in favor of reasonable re- i
uction Of the tariff; that we believe {
hat 1t is. demanded by the best inter- {
SITS of both manufacturer and con-
umer, and that a wise am benef1cent t
evision 81 the tariff can be accom- G
Not Necessary.