The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-08-20
Stones Fight For the States.


William j. Stone is an old.isshion- 9
ed Democrat, who believes 10 Jeffer.
sonisn ideals, and throughout bic ,
whole public career he has fought
with his great ability and strong ,
arm every encroschment OF the cen.
trail authority upon the rights OF
the sovereign states OF she union and
their people. While member OF the
House OF Representatives twenty
years ago he made an aggressive
fight for Legislation restricting the
power OF the federal courts to inter
iere In the affairs OF a state. On one
occasion In the House OF Representa-
tives he led a solitary filibuster and
blocked the passage OF u bill increas.
ing the salaries Of federal judges and
enlarging and extending their iuris-
diction by insisting upon an amend
ment which deprived such courts OF
the right to imprison officials OF
state for refusing TO levy oppressive
tax burdens at the mandate OF the
courts. This legislation had partlo.
ular. reference to the historic ST.
Clair county case, but was general
In It's application and drawnto cover
oil similar cases. He proposed to
curtai and restrict the Jurisdiction
OF federal courts in mandamus and
. Injunction proceedings. This posi-
, tion he has held strongly as Con-
gresham, Governor and since ne
. has been Senator.
= In 1893. aroused by the imprison-
A ment of the County Judges OF S..
Clair county. under an order OF the
:, Federal Court, he called upon the
Legislature TO memorisiize Congress
TO limit the Jurisdiction OF the ieder'
al courts so as to forbid them from
~ compelling any state officer by man
70 dsmUs or other writ, to perform any
e official act arising under or author
Q. ICED by the laws OF such state, ant
q, so enact q Law in Missouri providing
Id that a special County iudge might b
e named In certain emergencies TO pei
form statutory duties Ell ibined upo
sbe county courts, his Authority +
. cease upon the completion OF ia
No special purposefor which he shout
Mt. be appointed The question OF lee
or eral interferace In domestic affair
no through the action OF the courts
ter trying TO compel county officials
,la. levy taxes to pay irsudulent obiig'
,,m tions, Was aoute during Stones gu
ernatoriai seru., and he took irol
I'm. rank among those who fougl
against anwsrrsnted and unlu
no usurpasion 'S' power by the ieder
IN. courts.
10, StOue haas never 'sdltered In this
flu. hall. He stood against the opprt
GA. sive measures Of arbitrary ieder
en-. judges when In Congress, and foug
bile for his people while he was Governe
"a even to sheextens Of deiying a Unit
f. States Marshal, whom the Govern
held was sseking'so interfere in lot
- affairs beyond his right. Not on
this, bas bic voice has often be
raised, Ia the Senate and elsewhe
,as s against loosely drawn legislation
mp iectipg thepower Of she federal cou'
enS to oppcess she people and hamE
au wa the states IN putting their own st'
or utes into effect. In the famous I
lvir bate on the railroad rate bill he to
sss advanced grounds, along With 7
ove man, LaFollette, Eailey and 9th
e. lin the fight to prohibit ipiunctie
rio Lsetting aside the orders Of the
rw |,terstate Commerce. Commission.
80 -: kspoke In the Senate 10 favor OF ii
edo proposition, cad voted Tor it VT
a0 Il was offered On the floor. He stan
4. a Esqusrely on The Denver platform
AZ dey. and hes Q record entirely c.
~ .sistent with hk present ,positi'
'Fs- While some Of those plain-apoken
len, en- she subject now we're ialtseing, b
,rsc. hearted and trembling in their boo
It Of Gtone was fighting againsS iede
o sne encroachments and battling for
ents supremacy Of the Democratic poll
ents Il IL no wonder then that he shou
" 10 his Marshall speech, warn his
Icine low-democrsts against the Roc
'eous welt. Taft Root, propaganda, VIII
may Involves the extension OF fsde
Four authority, In the language OF Roc
Is Al welt, "by executive action and u
0 try cial interpretation" wherever net