The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1890-05-09

must not move out of the ancient
channels which they defined and
guarded by laws,
Our fathers were not of such dis
position. In their time they were
disposed to venture on original plans
OF government. They abolished the
crown, laws of enta'lment and OF
primogeniture. They established
written constitutions In their gen
Grafton they were wise refOrmers,
and we are indebted to them for
much that we now enjoy. We must
honor their memory by initiating
their example.
No one has higher regard than
myself for the institutions that are
the out-growth of the customs OF a
people.
To be enduring, these institutions
must be in conformity with the wants
and usages of the people, and must
possess that elasticity by which they
are extended and modified to conform
with the changes that take place.
This has been prominently the
quality of the unwritten constitu-
ton of our mother country.
1t was this elastic constitution OF
England that made revolution blood
less and reform and progress possible,
and it was the want of it that over
whelmed the French Government at
the close of the last century and de-
luged the land with blood during the
reign OF terror.
The question then, more pressing
than all others is, what shall be done
in the way Of legislation to abate en-
forced idleness? Under our present
system, manufacturers claim and re-
ceive, at the hands of government,
class legislation, by which, through
duties on imports, they are given a
practical monopoly in the market for
the sale OF the products OF their fac
tories. Such laws are a relic OF that
patriarchal system which prevailed
when the crowned ruler owned and
oppressed the people to enrich him.
self and his favorites.
The idea, however, OF governmental
protection when the government is
OF and for the people, is we'll worthy
of our acceptance. 1t underlies the
theory of all human laws. The pro-
lection of the citizen is the sole pur-
pose OF laws. This purpose is not
accomplished so long as single
citizen is left to the oppression OF
others, or is left unprotected in the
matter of being provided with the
necessaries of life, when, owing to the
manner in which business is carried
on. he is unable to find remunerative
employment; or those necessities for
the production and distribution OF
which ample facilities exist, but are
not used because private greed and
selfish interests prevent 1T.
Another proposition is, that, while
activity is necessary to develop the
best powers in man, an excess OF &C.
tivity or labor is depressing and de-
teriorates.
This fact is only too we'll illustrat-
ed in the physical, mental and moral
condition of the masses who labor.
Now and then one of these men OF
toll ri>es above his fellows by the
force OF genius, but as a rule the man
who habitually labors is, deprived
OF the power to properly exert and
develop his mental faculties.
While we are calling on the officers
of the law to suppress riots OF labor
ing men, let it not be forgotten that,
when by the perpetual physical toll
of the man OF labor, his mental facul-
ties have been stunted and his moral
susceptibilities dwarfed, by the sim
pie development OF the law of nature,
we are calling upon the officers OF the
law to overcome a law of nature; to
punish men and women for being
what they are by virtue OF system
OF laws maintained and enforced in
violation of natures commandments.
1t is easy for the man OF leisure,
with a comfortable bank account
and abundance of all thegood things
of life to grumble at the senselessness
of labor strikes and invoke the arm
of the law to punish the wretches
who will not labor themselves, nor
let those labor who are willing to do
so.
can but say to these persons, and
their name is legion, these violators
of the law, are but the van guards OF
the hordes who will yet rise and rush
upon your civilization as the goths
and vandals invaded that of the de-
moralized and pampered Romans,
unless you go to the root of the evil
and apply the remedy before it is too
late.
History teaches us that in all ma
tions of antiquity, and even among
the nations and peoples of the mid
die ages, the common laborer was a
slave.
It has only been by centuries of ex-
| ertiOn. that harOnia1 TYRANNY was