the cleveland era-第5章

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In　general；　President　Arthur　behaved　with　a　tact　and　prudence　that　improved　his　position　in　public　esteem。　It　soon　became　manifest　that；　although　he　had　been　Conkling's　adherent；　he　was　not　his　servitor。　He　conducted　the　routine　business　of　the　presidential　office　with　dignity；　and　he　displayed　independence　of　character　in　his　relations　with　Congress。　But　his　powers　were　so　limited　by　the　conditions　under　which　he　had　to　act　that　to　a　large　extent　public　interests　had　to　drift　along　without　direction　and　management。　In　some　degree；　the　situation　resembled　that　which　existed　in　the　Holy　Roman　Empire　when　a　complicated　legalism　kept　grinding　away　and　pretentious　forms　of　authority　were　maintained；　although；　meanwhile；　there　was　actual　administrative　impotence。　Striking　evidence　of　the　existence　of　such　a　situation　is　found　in　President　Arthur's　messages　to　Congress。

In　his　message　of　December　6；　1881；　the　President　mentioned　the　fact　that　in　the　West　〃a　band　of　armed　desperadoes　known　as　'Cowboys；'　probably　numbering　fifty　to　one　hundred　men；　have　been　engaged　for　months　in　committing　acts　of　lawlessness　and　brutality　which　the　local　authorities　have　been　unable　to　repress。〃　He　observed　that　〃with　every　disposition　to　meet　the　exigencies　of　the　case；　I　am　embarrassed　by　lack　of　authority　to　deal　with　them　effectually。〃　The　center　of　disturbance　was　in　Arizona；　and　the　punishment　of　crime　there　was　ordinarily　the　business　of　the　local　authorities。　But　even　if　they　called　for　aid；　said　the　President；　〃this　Government　would　be　powerless　to　render　assistance；〃　for　the　laws　had　been　altered　by　Congress　so　that　States　but　not　Territories　could　demand　the　protection　of　the　national　Government　against　〃domestic　violence。〃　He　recommended　legislation　extending　to　the　Territories　〃the　protection　which　is　accorded　the　States　by　the　Constitution。〃　On　April　26；　1882；　the　President　sent　a　special　message　to　Congress　on　conditions　in　Arizona；　announcing　that　〃robbery；　murder；　and　resistance　to　laws　have　become　so　common　as　to　cease　causing　surprise；　and　that　the　people　are　greatly　intimidated　and　losing　confidence　in　the　protection　of　the　law。〃　He　also　advised　Congress　that　the　〃Cowboys〃　were　making　raids　into　Mexico；　and　again　begged　for　legal　authority　to　act。　On　the　3rd　of　May；　he　issued　a　proclamation　calling　upon　the　outlaws　〃to　disperse　and　retire　peaceably　to　their　respective　abodes。〃　In　his　regular　annual　message　on　December　4；　1882；　he　again　called　attention　〃to　the　prevalent　lawlessness　upon　the　borders；　and　to　the　necessity　of　legislation　for　its　suppression。〃

Such　vast　agitation　from　the　operations　of　a　band　of　ruffians；　estimated　at　from　fifty　to　one　hundred　in　number；　and　such　floundering　incapacity　for　prompt　action　by　public　authority　seem　more　like　events　from　a　chronicle　of　the　Middle　Ages　than　from　the　public　records　of　a　modern　nation。　Of　like　tenor；　was　a　famous　career　which　came　to　an　end　in　this　period。　Jesse　W。　James；　the　son　of　a　Baptist　minister　in　Clay　County；　Missouri；　for　some　years　carried　on　a　bandit　business；　specializing　in　the　robbery　of　banks　and　railroad　trains；　with　takings　computed　at　263；778。　As　his　friends　and　admirers　were　numerous；　the　elective　sheriffs；　prosecuting　attorneys；　and　judges　in　the　area　of　his　activities　were　unable　to　stop　him　by　any　means　within　their　reach。　Meanwhile；　the　frightened　burghers　of　the　small　towns　in　his　range　of　operations　were　clamoring　for　deliverance　from　his　raids；　and　finally　Governor　Crittenden　of　Missouri　offered　a　reward　of　10；000　for　his　capture　dead　or　alive。　Two　members　of　his　own　band　shot　him　down　in　his　own　house；　April　3；　1882。　They　at　once　reported　the　deed　and　surrendered　themselves　to　the　police；　were　soon　put　on　trial；　pleaded　guilty　of　murder；　were　sentenced　to　death；　and　were　at　once　pardoned　by　the　Governor。　Meanwhile；　the　funeral　ceremonies　over　Jesse　James's　remains　drew　a　great　concourse　of　people；　and　there　were　many　indications　of　popular　sympathy。　Stories　of　his　exploits　have　had　an　extensive　sale；　and　his　name　has　become　a　center　of　legend　and　ballad　somewhat　after　the　fashion　of　the　medieval　hero　Robin　Hood。

The　legislative　blundering　which　tied　the　President's　hands　and　made　the　Government　impotent　to　protect　American　citizens　from　desperadoes　of　the　type　of　the　〃cowboys〃　and　Jesse　James；　is　characteristic　of　Congress　during　this　period。　Another　example　of　congressional　muddling　is　found　in　an　act　which　was　passed　for　the　better　protection　of　ocean　travel　and　which　the　President　felt　constrained　to　veto。　In　his　veto　message　of　July　1；　1882；　the　President　said　that　he　was　entirely　in　accord　with　the　purpose　of　the　bill　which　related　to　matters　urgently　demanding　legislative　attention。　But　the　bill　was　so　drawn　that　in　practice　it　would　have　caused　great　confusion　in　the　clearing　of　vessels　and　would　have　led　to　an　impossible　situation。　It　was　not　the　intention　of　the　bill　to　do　what　the　President　found　its　language　to　require；　and　the　defects　were　due　simply　to　maladroit　phrasing；　which　frequently　occurs　in　congressional　enactments；　thereby　giving　support　to　the　theory　of　John　Stuart　Mill　that　a　representative　assembly　is　by　its　very　nature　unfit　to　prepare　legislative　measures。

The　clumsy　machinery　of　legislation　kept　bungling　on；　irresponsive　to　the　principal　needs　and　interests　of　the　times。　An　ineffectual　start　was　made　on　two　subjects　presenting　simple　issues　on　which　there　was　an　energetic　pressure　of　popular　sentimentChinese　immigration　and　polygamy　among　the　Mormons。　Anti…Chinese　legislation　had　to　contend　with　a　traditional　sentiment　in　favor　of　maintaining　the　United　States　as　an　asylum　for　all　peoples。　But　the　demand　from　the　workers　of　the　Pacific　slope　for　protection　against　Asiatic　competition　in　the　home　labor　market　was　so　fierce　and　so　determined　that　Congress　yielded。　President　Arthur　vetoed　a　bill　prohibiting　Chinese　immigration　as　〃a　breach　of　our　national　faith；〃　but　he　admitted　the　need　of　legislation　on　the　subject　and　finally　approved　a　bill　suspending　immigration　from　China　for　a　term　of　years。　This　was　a　beginning　of　legislation　which　eventually　arrived　at　a　policy　of　complete　exclusion。　The　Mormon　question　was　dealt　with　by　the　Act　of　March　22；　1882；　imposing　penalties　upon　the　practice　of　polygamy　and　placing　the　conduct　of　elections　in　the　Territory　of　Utah　under　the　supervision　of　a　board　of　five　persons　appointed　by　the　President。　Though　there　were　many　prosecutions　under　this　act；　it　proved　so　ineffectual　in　suppressing　polygamy　that　it　was　eventually　supplemented　by　giving　the　Government　power　to　seize　and　administer　the　property　of　the　Mormon　Church。　This　action；　resulting　from　the　Act　of　March　3；　1887；　created　a　momentous　precedent。　The　escheated　property　was　held　by　the　Government　until　1896　and　meanwhile；　the　Mormon　Church　submitted　to　the　law　and　made　a　formal　declaration　that　it　had　abandoned　polygamy。

Another　instance　in　which　a　lack　of　agreement　between　the　executive　and　the　legislative　branches　of　the　Government　manifested　itself；　arose　out　of　a　scheme　which　President　Arthur　recommended　to　Congress　for　the　improvement　of　the　waterways　of　the　Mississippi　and　its　tributaries。　The　response　of　Congress　was　a　bill　in　which　there　was　an　appropriation　of　about　4；000；000　for　the　general　improvements　recommended；　but　about　14；000；000　were　added　for　other　special　river　and　harbor　schemes　which　had　obtained　congressional　favor。　President　Arthur's　veto　message　of　August　1；　1882；　condemned　the　bill　because　it　contained　provisions　designed　〃entirely　for　the　benefit　of　the　particular　localities　in　which　it　is　proposed　to　make　the　improvements。〃　He　thus　described　a　type　of　legislation　of　which　the　nation　had　and　is　still　having　bitter　experience：　〃As　the　citizens　of　one　State　find　that　money；　to　raise　which　they　in　common　with　the　whole　country　are　taxed；　is　to　be　expended　for　local　improvements　in　another　State；　they　demand　similar　benefits　for　themselves；　and　it　is　not　unnatural　that　they　should　seek　to　indemnify　themselves　for　such　use　of　the　public　funds　by　securing　appropriations　for　similar　improvements　in　their　own　neighborhood。　Thus　as　the　bill　becomes　more　objectionable　it　secures　more　support。〃　T