The Labor enquirer., 1883-10-27
& : s5 LESS LAW s.s :. !. . ,
gr+lt hG.s .19Y sgH II .4lm& n 4t3
i1'. ia sQen b7'----- --7eG tH F~f1 sEaa
And More Light, is What We
n.t Need, in the Opinion of r. ,.
~ Honorius. 81. " "
Mere Statute Laws Insult Justice
a and Retard Progress if
They M 49,. aaa
-, L-l 5e ,ur
Ignore Natural Right--Law-Var-
nishing in Vogue in
England.

In the education of the common peo-
pie l know of nothing so much needed
as clear understanding of what is called
law. do not refer to the law of nature,
for that is eternal and everywhere benef-
icent. I refer to the thing which parlia-
ments, congresses and legislatures choose
to call law, and which jurists and politi-
clans pretend to interpret with so much
dignity and solemnity.
There are many workingmen possessed
with the delusion that if only certain
laws could be passed and recorded on
the statute books the evils against which
the laws were directed would necessarily
be abolished. Hence there is always
some agitation up among different classes
of labor reformers to get this and that
law passed by the legislature, and thou
sands of workingmen thoughtlessly take
it for granted that if the desired law
could only be carried in. the legislature
the evil complained of would thereby
cease.
But finally when the law is passed and
it is unhappily discovered that the evil
still goes on, then the blind servants of
fallible human law complain that the
only trouble is that the law is not en-
forced. 1t is at this point that the
whole weak neEs of human law-makingis
suggested, but the mass are too blinded
by custom to seethe real point. Roscher,
the learned historian of economics, tells
us that at one time in France the Cath
olic clergy exorted so fervently against
usury that the civil authority passed laws
making the taking of usury an otfense
punishable with death, upon the testi-
mony of two witnesses to the transaction
under OATH And yet, while the whole
power of church and state was brought
to bear upon the evil, the law was per-
fectly impotent. 1t was not enforced !;
and not only was it not enforced, but
as high as Is per cent usury was openly
taken in the market-places, in face of the
law and in spite of the thunder and
threats of the clergy.
When Mr.. Roscher comes to tells us
why the law in this case was defied it is
all very natural. twas no triae in those
despotic days to defy the law. But it
seems that certain syndicate of Jews
had 50 boarded and debased the peo-
ples money that it was terribly scarce.
The merchants on the streets and the
poor fish vender in the market-place be-
came desperately pushed and were
driven to the savage alternative of either
borrowing money at such rates as were
demanded or of quick ruin and starva-
ton So they borrowed money at mon
strous rates and put it into the prices of
their goods. When these people were
asked to come up and testify against the
usurers they refused and could not be
induced to- Yea, more Mr.. Roscher
informs US that they even went to the
magistrates and pleaded on their knees
that the usurers be liberated, lest in los
ing their favors through death they
might be plunged into ruin.
In the above mentioned case the
reader will plainly see that where so
cruel monopoly of the currency ex-
listed the law was simply futile to pre-
vent usury. But now l wish to ask the
reader seriously if there is not behind
every law which he may ask the legisla'
ture to pass in behalf of workingmen
some bottom monopoly which is bound
to render the purposed law futile to a
greater or less extent ? To put the ques,
ton broadly-Are not all remedial stat
ute laws futile to the extent that mo,
nopoly of land, currency, transportation
and the prime means and opportunities
of life are sanctioned in the organic So
cial constitution of the people?
Look over into England. There we
find the British parliament passing laws
for the people for centuries. The factory
laws, poor laws, tenant laws and statute
rubbish generally that cover the parlia'
mentary history of England would alone
fill volumes. 1t is law, law, law eter,
nally but yet what does all this costly
remedial tinkering amount to, save to
swell the wretched army of slaves and
paupers continually? The old trick of
remedial law has again been played
upon Ireland in the past three years
with results that are too we'll understood
to need any comment from me. How
often have l wished that Mr.. Parnell
would once rise to the moral grandeur
of scouting and ignoring any and all
remedial laws that England may pro.
pose to make for Ireland.
The fact is that in all countries mere
remedial statute laws are simple patent
applications of the moment, which only
have the effect to postpone the radical
treatment which must certainly come
sooner or later if the masses are ever to
be rescued from slavery and oppression.
You may put upon the state books OF
every one of the United States laws for