The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-02-08


side Of Keeping The bridges IN repalr, aud
constructing some new ones, while the
black waxy NJ northern, central ana other
sections Of the state will require quite an.
other figure. Who are the proper judges2
10 would certainly seem that the citizens OF
the counties respectively thomsolyes,w where
the county commissioners should possess
the power TO determine the oxpediency Of
u tax, this tax being limited by some maxi
mum figure TO be designated by the legls-
ature. The apprehension Is expressed that
this would be a dangerous power to as
| sign TO court OF county
commissioners. who in many instances
are not elected by nor are in sympathy
with the Taxpayers. But the same argu-
ment might be retorted as against the legis.
lator in senate or house. Or, let q majority
of the taxpayers, paying taxes up to Ger
tain amount, make their own assessment
| figures. So much for the road law, a
change which the citizens all over the state
are demanding, and the democratic party
| is pledged TO. Next we have had
THE LIQUOR LAW,
which should likewise, and for the same rea
sons, be relegated to the communities most
concerned in the prohibition of the great
evil, be these cities, towns or villages. 1t
does look like very small bushes for great
state to be sending up its representatives
at So per day, or $3.50 per hour of the ses-
sion, to dictate to its citizens and those who
come amongst us what they shall or shall
not drink, when they shall drink, in what
quantities and under what circumstances
Let all such matters be by the legislature
co signed to those smaller political divis-
ions mat desire to handle the matter. One
town or city may be especially temperance;
citizenship may have SC. begun, like i'll
,lneland, New Jersey; and other temper
ance immigrants have Joined the band, just
as the Mormonly inclined emigrate
to Salt Lake City. But there
may be- another community,
a lot of Germans, for example, or OF
Catholics, the latter of whom, when the
morning mass has been heard. are eX'
tremely liberal as TO the passing of the bal
ance of the day, and the former OF whom
delight to pass their Sunday mornings at
musical rehearsals or something OF that
sort, and their evenings in beer garden,
where conversation may be INDUCED m,
games for their children be participated in,
and excellent music be all the while listened
to. 1t is hardship on these latter classes
to be put into the straight jackets OF par
ticular department that others make for
themselves. Let the hermit go into sack
cloth and ashes, il 1t shall please him, and
retire to his solitary cell, and let us protect
him, too, in his choice anu his
rights, but let not the state
against liberty and democratic government.
The precedent allowed, may be followed by
dozens OF others. Therefore let the COM
munities be permitted to adjust the matter
for themselves. That other question,
THE SUNDAY LAW,
is of the same complexion. This is pro-
posed law which would make the state the
keeper of the consciences oil Its citizensi
which carries religion into politics, and
which has caused more strife and bloodshed
than all other causes combined. 1t is
law which is at war with the funda-
mental principles of true democracy and
civil liberty. 1t is law in direct
antagonism to the genius OF our whole
governmental framework, and especially so
to the cosmopolitan character OF this en-
pire state to which we have invited the
peoples of all the world, and even set free
homesteads for them as tempting bats to
induce the immigration. This question,
too, when person shall, or shall not buy
or sell an article'of commerce, is next AKIN
to the ones that may issue from, II, VIZ:
where he shall puy or sell it, and from and
to whom. There is as much reason, law, JUS
tice and equity in the one as in the other,
that all citizens should be protected i'll
their own peculiar mode OF worshipping
our great Creator, whether individually or
collectively, vet there are many who
have a right to feel and believe that their
civil and political freedom is being lnfringed
on when they are told that they must abb
serve under penalty, the particular day
set aside by particular religious sect; and
who for disobedience, must be branded as
criminals. Who shall show the logic that
makes it correct to buy or sell on Sundays
up to 0 o'clock a. m. and then not again
until 4 D. MI And again, who shall show
the logic that makes distinctions between
counties of 5000 people and of 5OUP The
whole business is so palpably in error that
the law will be disregaTded. This very
disregard of one law makes people reckless
of others, until the sanctlhcatlon
il should have ends in encouragement and
general decentralization.
The true principle is that all such matters
should be left with the communities them.
selves, and no general law should be passed
where such delegation can constltutlonauy
be- had, and if not constitutionally, then
the constitution should by so much be
changed. Our representatives, as a rule,
doubtless recognize the soundness OF this
philosophy, aud if they but have the
courage of conviction, and proclaim ana
sustain these views, they will triumph at
last, If not at first, before the great popular
tribunal of the people, who, In
the end, perceive and receive
the truth, and reward him who was bold
enough and honest enough TO give correct
advice, no matter how unpalatable at the
moment, Just as the sick child loves the
physician who cures him finally, though 1t
rebelled at first against the medicine pre-
scribed and him who prescribed. Il.