The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-10-02
T|LlMAN ON THE ISSUES.
THINKS 1T IMPORTANT TO COM.
BAT FEDERAL UsURPATION.
State Rights arc Sacred-COrpora-
tiOns Must be Curbed Without Fed
eral ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AS
sumo Inconsistent Attitudc-WOn't
be BambOOzled.
From the Houston Post.

New York, Sept. 23.-A dispatch
published in the American from San
Francisco says: Senator Benjamin r.
Tillman, after visiting thirty States
since the adjournment of congress and
meeting thousands of people. gives his
observations on the vital questions of
the hour and the, issues that will pre-
dominate In the coming campaign.
He does not discuss candidates nor
politicians, because, he says, he does
not know anything about what they
are doing in the way Of political COM
binations and tickets. He says:
"The one significant transaction or
fact that has come to the front since
the adjournment of congress last
March is the apparent clash or threat
ened clash between State and nation
al authority IN the effort to control
corporations and railroads.
Secretary Root, who has been con-
sidered the brain Of the administration
(and to a large degree Its mouth
piece), whose intellectual grasp OF
things Is recognized by people who
know him. declared in substance in
his new York speech that the people
Of this country would see to it that
the reforms and protection demanded
In dealing with trusts and railroads
are granted, that the national govern
ment would be called upon to act If
the States do not move to correct the
evils.
Immediately there came strong
protests from high Republican sources
against the tendency to centralize
power in the administration. Justice
Harlan, of the Supreme Court. utter
ed a vigorous protest. and more re-
Gently Samuel Mccall, Of Massachu-
setts, one of the big Republicans of
the House of Representatives, pro-
nounced against the Root doctrine
Took Root at His Word.
But the striking fact that followed
the statement by Root was that the
Legislatures In the Middle West and
some Of the Southern States set about
doing just what Root said they must
do to preserve their own powers and
authority intact.
"Ohio. Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska,
New York, Pennsylvania, North Caro-
lima and Alabama passed 2-cent fare
bills and some took other prompt ac-
tion in the direction Of regulating
charges for freight and passenger
transportation. Gov. Hughes vetoed
the New York bill. The Pennsylvania
Railroad, which owns Pennsylvania
set about annulling the 2-cent fare
bill in that State. Corporations oi
other States feel grateful.
"In North Carolina and Alabama
however. United States Circuit Judge
Pritchard and District Judge Jone.
issued sweeping injunctions restrain
ing the State officials from enforcinl
the laws.
1.-THE situation In Alabama is not a.
interesting as In North Carolina
Judge Pritchard went further in usur.
patton Of power than the Roosevelt
administration seemed willing to fol
low him. This Judge undertook, b,
decree, to annul statute of Mort:
Carolina by requiring che railroads I"
attach a coupon to every ticket rep
resenting the difference between III
old and the new rate and which th'
passenger was to hold till litigation
determined whether the law was val
Id. when 1t would be redeemed if tht
courts sustained 1t.
1.-The constitutionality Of the law
was not attacked. 1t could rot be al
tackled except upon the plea Of con
fiscation.
Southern Was Brought Under.
Gov Glenn caused the arrest O.
railroad officials. including Presiden
Finley. Of the Southern, and judge
:Pritchard's interference set them free
But when Finley was arrested AND
the governor disregarded the fedora
court. the Southern Railway decided
to obey the law and litiga,e after
ward.
! "While the matter was in the pub
! lie mind, the plutocratic press lr"n.-
Cd with editorials and cartoons ,l1
intended to direct the attention OF
the people to the ghost of state rights
which we were told-was shot to death
in 1861 to 1865.
"The country was led to suppose
that North Carloina and Gov. Glenn
were attempting revival of the old
antc-bcllum doctrine. In truth, these
organs of Morgan. Hartman, Rookie