The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-03

tfnue during the aces to cof9e, for the
benefit OF those who shall succeed US, We
must ever be on our guard against thf
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 q commission
from the people.
Impatient of the restraints OF law
4 as well as Of its delays, is becoming
more ana more manifest from day to
day. Within the past few years many
instances have been brought to our at
tentlon, where in different parts Of oNr
beioVed country supposed criminals
nave been seized and punished by a
/ mop, 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 struggle between employers ana
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 the con-
| spIracy with them, should, after due
trial and conviction, have had melted
out TO them the most rigoro0s punish
ment known to the law. This crime,
| ADDED perhaps to others, led to the
formation of a 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 BIO 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 it 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-
efts or inclination may determine; and
the fulfillment of the assurance 80 re
Duke and punish all denials Of these
rights, whether brought about by fndi-
viduals or government agencies, should
be enforced by every official and sup
hu nS%
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 well
said, in substance, that there are but
two powers in government, one the
power Of the sword, sustained by the
hand that Yields it, 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 republic-such as ours. |
based on law and written constitu-
ton, supported by intelligence virtue
and patriotism-and monarchy-sus-
tanned by force e9erted by an indiyid-
ual, uncontrolled by laws other than +
those made or sanctioned by him; one
represents eonstituttonalism, the other
Imperialism.
The present tariff law is unjust ii |
its operation, excessive in many of its
rates and SO framed in particular in
stances as to exact inordinate profits
from the people So well understood /
has this view become that many prom
inent members of the republican party.
and at least two OF its state conven-
tons. have dared to voice the general
sentiment on thae subject That PARTY
seems, however, to be collectively able t
to harmonic only upon a plank that
admits that revision may from time
to tine be necessary, but 1t is so
Dhrased that it is expected to be salts
faeterF to those in favor OF an increase
Of duty, to those who favor 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, 1t would
seem as If the outcome. in the event of
it's success, would be to crafty the lat
ter class. With absolute control of
both the legislative and executive de-
partments Of the government since
March 4, 1897, there has been neither
reduction nor an attempt at reduction
n tariff duties. 1t is not unreasonable
% assume, in the light OF that record,
hat future congress Of that party
will not undertake a revision of the
.arif downward in the event that I'LL
shall receive an endorsement of its past
course on that subject by the people.
It is fact and should be frankly CON
,eded that should our party be success
'ul in the coming contest we cannot
rope to secure a majority in the SEN
tie during the next four years. and
renee We shall be unable to secure any
notification IN the tariR save that to
which the republican majority in the
enate may consent. While, therefore.
We are unable to give assurances of
elieg to the people from such excessive
luties as burden them, 1t is due to !
hem that We should state our posi-
ion TO be in favor of reasonable re-
luction of the tariff; that we believe
AAf Ire y Il T. IL =.