The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-05-11
BACON DEFENDS
OFFICE HOLDERS
Takes Issue with TilIman as to the
ProbIty Of Judges.
ISLANDER IS UNJUSTFED
Georgian Says We Have a Good Gov
ernment and Derogatory Talk
Should be DiscOuntenanced.

A Washington special says: Ths
close Of general debate upon the rate
bill in the senate Thursday was mark.
ed by several very spirited passages,
in one of which Senator Bacon OF
Georgia figured prominently.
Senator Tillman had devoted much
time to a recital of incidents calculat-
ed TO reflect upon some of the federal
judges, citing among other cases the
granting of an injunction by Judge
Pardee against the state officials of
Florida to restrain the operation of
some law to which the railroads OBJ
jected, this injunction being granted
upon the sffldavit of a railroad official
that the property Of the railroad in
question was valued at more than
$5,000000, whereas the same official
had less than two months previously
made affidavit that the same property
was worth but $1,7O0,000. Other cases
were referred to at length
Following this portion Of his speech,
Senator Tillman got into a controversy
with Senator Bacon over the question
Of the issue Of temporary injunctions,
in the course of which Senator Bacon
brought out that while there was an
effort to prevent the issue Of tempo
rary injunctions ahead of final hear
ing by the circuit courts, there was no
effort to affect the rate during the
longer period while the decision Of
the circuit court was under review by
the supreme court. While this was a
legal question, Senator Tillman in his
questioning and his sallies, was not
only general in his attacks upon the
courts, but throughout it all showed
a disposition to be critical of the
Georgia senator and all others who
did not agree with him.
Whenever it comes to the point
said Senator Bacon, with great fer
vor, that the courts Of the United
States are no longer to be entitled to
the regard to the conservative. ele-
ment of their government, it makes
little difference whether the execu-
tive and Legislative branches of the
government are conservative. When
ever it comes to the point that the
judges who have the stupendous power
Of passing upon the validity of the
laws are no longer to re trusted for
conservatism or honesty, where is the
protection of the government, however
conservative the executive and legis-
latiye branches may be?
"Mr President, another thought.
There are great forces working in
the whole civilized world, and they
are forces that need proper direction.
They may be correct forces, but that
need proper direction They are fore
es which are not entirely quiet in this
country, and, Mr.. President, I consider
it to be not only the highest duty OF
this body to so act and so speak not
only as to avoid stirring up the pas
sions Of the people and destroying
their faith in their government and
in those who are called to administer
it, but that it is our duty to go to
the other extreme if need be and in
spire even more confidence than their
Individual merits may entitle them to.
Let US, Mr.. President, make our
people believe that we have a good
government, make them believe that
while there may be here and there
an unworthy man, the great body Of
those who are called upon to admin
lister this government are honest men
end patriotic men-executive, legisla-
tive and judicial Let us do away
Is far as we can with this disposition
to decry the officials of the govern
ment and to produce in the minds OF
the masses Of these people, and es-
pecially Of the unthinking people,
the extreme ideal that those who are
called upon to administer the gov
eminent are corrupt and unworthy Of
their confidence"