Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-08-20
AT ESOpus, N. Y, August 10, 1904

tnue during the ages TO come, for the
benefit Of those who shall succeed us, We
must ever be on our guard against the
danger OF usurpaton Of that authority
| which resides In tho whole people
whether the Usurpation be by officials
representing one Of the three great de-
partments Of government, or by body
Of men acting without 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
have been seized and punished by n
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 duo process Of law.
In 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
fense against the laws Of God and man,
and all others engaged in the con.
splracy 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, doports from the state,
without trial, persons suspected of be.
longing to the organization of which
the perpetrators Of the dynamite out
RACES we're 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 It's
duty TO call attention TO the fact ths
constitutional guarantees are violated
whenever any citizen is denied the
right to labor, 10 acquire and to enjoy
property, or 10 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
servancc 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-
phasizo the distinction which exists
between our own ard lnsuy 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 wields IT, and the other the
power Of the law, sustained by an en-
lightened public sentiment. The dit
ference in these powers is the diner
ence between a republic-such as ours,
based on law and written constitu-
tion supported by intelligence, virtue
and patriotism monarchy--sus-
tanned by force exeIted by an individ.
ual, uncontrolled by laws other than
those made or sanctioned by him; one
represents constltutionalsm the other
Imperialism.
The present tariff law IS unjust In
its operation, excessive In many Of its
rates and 80 framed in particular in
stances as to exact inordinate profits
from the people, SO well understood
has this view become that many prom
ipent members of the republican party. |
and at least two OF its state tonven-
tons, have dared to voice the general
sentiment on that subject That party
seems, however, to be collectively able |
to hermonlze only upon plank that
admits that revision may from time
to time be necessary, bus it Is so
phrased that It is expected to be salts
factor 10 those in favor O. an increase
of 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 |
its 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, 1891 there has been neither
reduction nor an attempt at reduction |
in tariff duties, It Is not unreasonable |
to assume, in the light of that record |
that future congress of that party |
will not undertake revision Of the |
tariff downward In the event that it !
shall receive an endorsement OF its past |
course on that gubject by the people |
1t is fact and should be frankly con
ceded that should our party be success
ful in the coming contest We cannot |
hope to secure a majority in the sen.
ate during the next four years, and |
hence We Shall be unable to secure any |
modification IN the tariff save that to
which the republican majority in the
senate may consent. While, therefore,
we are unable to give assurances of
relief to the people from such excessive
duties as burden them, it is due to
them that we should state our posi-
tion to be in favor of a reasonable re.
duction of the tariff; that We believe
that it Is demanded by the best inter
ests OF both manufacturer and con.
slmer, and that wise and beneficent
revision Of the tariff can be accom-