Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-08-17

day to day Within the past few
| years many instances have been
brought to our attention. where in
different parts OF our beloved country
supposed criminals have been seized
and punished by mob. notwithstand-
| ing the fact that the constitution of
each State guarantees to every per
son within ITS jurisdiction that his
life, his liberty or his property shall
not be taken from him without 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
offense against the laws of God and
man. and all others engaged in the
! conspiracy with them. should. after
! duo trial and conviction, have had
metod out TO them the most rigorous
! punishment known to the law. This
| crime. added perhaps to others. led
to the formation Of Il committee of
/ citizens that. with the support OF the
military authority, dcports from the
State. without trial, persons suspected
! OF belonging to the organization of
! which the perpetrators of the dyna-
mite outrages were supposed to be
]
| Of law gave way to the reign of force.
! These illustrations present some evil
! dence of the failure of the government
| to protect the citizen and his property.
| which not only justified the action
OF your convention in this regard.
! but made it its duty to call attention
! TO the fact that constitutional guaran-
| toes are violated whenever anv citi-
| zen is denied the right to labor. to
acquire. and to enjoy property. or to
| reside where his interests or inclina-
/ ton may determine: and the fulfill
ment of the assurance to rebuke and
| punish all dcnials of these rights.
whether brought about by individuals
or government agencies, should be
enforced by every official and support
ed by every citizen. The essence of
| good government lies in strict obser.
vance OF constitutional limitations. en-
forccment of law and order and rug
ged opposition to all encroachment
! upon tho sovereignty OF the people
The foregoing distinctions but en-
phaSiZe the distinction which exists
between our own and other forms Of
! government 1t has been well said
in substance, that there are but two
powers in government, one by the
power of the sword. sustained by the
hand that wields it. and the other
the power Of the law, sustained by
an enlightened public sentiment. The
ul1efcnCe between a republic-such
as ours. based on law and n written
constitution. supported by fntelli-
genco. virtuo and patriotism-and a
sustained by force exert
ed by an individual. uncontrolled by
laws other than those made or sane
toned by him; one represents CON
Stltuuonalism, the other imperialism.
PRESENT TARIFF UNJUST.
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 unders( bod
mas this view become that many promi-
/ nent members of the Republican party.
I and at least two OF its State conven-
/ uons. have dared to voice the general
sentiment on that subject. That party
seems. however, to be collectively able
/ 70 harmonize only upon a plank that
! admltS that revision may from time tn
time be necessary. but it is so phased
that Ii is expected to be satisfactory to
those favor reduction thereof. and
10 tnose opposed to any change what
ever
Judge 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
us success would be to crafty the lat
Ter class. With absolute control OF
Npotn the legislative and executive de-
partment of the government since
March 4th, 1897. there has been neither
reduction nor an attempt at reduction
In tariff duties. 1t il not unreasonable
TO assume, in the light of that record
that future Congress of that party
VIII not undertake revision of the
tarlH downward in the event that it
shall receive an endorsement of its
past course on that subject by the peo-
pie. 1t is fact and should be frankly
conceded that though our partv no suc-
cessful in the coming contest we can
not hope to secure a majority in the
senate during the next four years and
hehce we shall be unable to secure anv
modlhcatlon in the tariff save that IN
Which the Republican majority in the
senate may consent. While therefore
we are unable to give assurance OF re-
lief 70 the people from such excessive
duties are burden them. it is due IN
them that we state our position to he
IN favor or reasonable reduction of
the tarin; that we believe it is demand l.
ed by the best interests of both mann
lacturer and consumer. and that a wise
anu Dehehcent revision of the tarifi
Tdh pe accomplished as soon as both
branches of Congress and an executive
in favor OF IL are elected without cro
ating that sense of uncertainty and in.
stability that has on other OCCASION
manifested itself This can be acbiev-
ed bN providing that such q resoroLIc