The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-15
ILL Apvrsrp rALK.

The Governor regaled the people with another rehearsal of his Samson speech last Saturday. There is something un- canny in the Governor of the State. going over 1t. scoiding. and making passionate stump speeches about the action of court in . case not yet ended. when, so far. every step taken has been approved by the most august tribunal in the land. He outrages the peoples sense of fairness when by in- nuendo he attacks the judge whose position binds him hand and foot It is not manly. The judge cannot chal- lenge him to joint discussion or in any other way, nor enter upon . discus sion in the newspapers with the Cover nor of the pending cases. Iron rules of propriety prevent the judge from assailing the Governor or his motives. High officers of the different govern ments owe something to official de- cency. If the judge of the court should enter upon tirade against the Cover nor every one would say the judge lowered the dignity of his place and set a very bad example. Governor | Conner is doing the same thing. So far as the Governor rests his so-caiied criticisms upon any facts they are very flimsy.
 l A year ago some railroad companies. l as they had right to do under the | vited by the States own statutes, con- tested the reasonableness of rates in the United States Court and gave bond. as the States own statutes prescribed, to hold shippers and passengers harm less. and thereupon. the court. exercis- ing the power given in the States own statutes. suspended the operation of the law until the case would be final ly heard. Although there was no penal law afterwards to be violated. until that suspension was revoked, the Governor in solemn public statements announced that he would direct the sheriffs and solicitors to put the sus- pended laws in force, by arresting the railroads employees everywhere. until the companies abandoned their suits in the courts where the constitution of the United States alike authorized them to go. whether their complaint were we'll or iil-founded. The court enjoined the sheriffs and solicitors from attempting to make the arrests. To effect his purpose the Governor would have had to set in motion a swarm of posses all over the land to enforce his arrests. He knew that would bring on. in all probability. armed collision with the authorities of the United States. and that those who made the arrests in defiance of the courts orders would themselves be ar rested and punished. It is not to be supposed that the Governor would ad- vise the solicitors and sheriffs to do these things unless he intended to back them up. If he succeeded. it would have meant the raiding of railroad trains all over the State. the stoppaga of the malls and interference with in- terstate commerce.. It would have been the worst day that dawned on Alabama since the war and brought down upon the State tho condemnation of the American people. It would have sub jected thousands of good citizens who were working for their daily bread, and could not settle the cases to the ignominy of imprisonment, to use the elegant language of the Governor. like negro crap shooters" If the efforts failed and it was bound to fail. 1t would have led to Imprisonment aud worse, if they had resisted arrest, of the officers and posses who were de- ludsd into following his advice. No- body would want to come into or stay in such State, where such things could happen. The issues were very plain. It was law and liberty against anarchy and violence. The court stood l AOI tu0 pIOlSCbloH th0 HHli0 the Governor announced that he would bring about the latter. If men could be driven out of court whenever the Governor thinks they are not entitled to ask it's protection. there would be no such thing as liberty and protec- ton of property Everything for which the American Constitution stands would be shattered and brought to naught. The courts. the Governor now roams about the State denouncing, compelled obedience to the constitu- tion and laws, both of the State and the United States, It preserved the liberties of the people and put an end to the swashbueklIng methods in place of court processes. for settling disputes about property rights and every in- telliRent man in Alabama knows that the court was not despotic and did not trample upon anybody's rights. or threaten their liberties and 1t Is en- titled to the thanks of all law abiding people for doing the very thing about which the Governor inveighs against it and tries to malign the judge.
 Next we would not be surprised to hear him arraign the great body of