Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-15

abuse. Better that such abuse should follow
sometimes, than to hamper respectable cltlLens
with law whose force they fall to appreGla Maze
is not made for the state, but the state for man.
EVILS OF OVER LEGISLATION.
The danger from this cause is twofold. In the
first place the common veal is imperiled when
too much law leads to disregard of some OF the
laws, and hence disrespect in general towards
the majesty OF the law; and in the second place,
danger arises from the resultant Indifference to
the character of those whom we delegate 70
make our laws. Granting that a certain por-
ton of our Legislators are men of sound, prac-
teal sense, high principle and pure patriotism,
the fact remains that by far too many OF them
are either hopelessly partisan or they are stepped
in ignorance and besotted with their own self
conceit; or they men feeble in will power,
or trimmers, who, for the sake Of retaining Of
fee, make that the guiding principle of action;
or, worse than all, they ranting fanatics,
who are elected or get themselves elected to
such responsible positions with the distinct pur-
pose of forcing on the people the practice OF
some pet theory or impractiCable so-called re-
form of their own on the speciOus plea that 1t IS
for the good of the state. Most great reformerS
are men of earnest views, who by dlnt OF their
single mindedness, their arrogant, determined
bearing, and their everlasting persisteucy sue
coed in overcoming all opposition and producing
great ultimate public benefit. Unfortunately,
while most self-styled refOrmers are men OF
such character, but few of such character fight
in a thoroughly good cause or advocate theories
that would prove of benefit to any but them
selves. They are, however, by far the most
dangerous send to legislatures, Tor
they possess the very quantities that ensure sue
cess, and when they do not convince they finally
win by dint OF persistent hammeTlng. These
are the men who, for the so-calIed benefit of
the state, are willing to sacrifice the rights of
the individual and throw to the winds the dearly
bought liberties for which our fathers fought
and died. To them the state is everything, the
individual nothing. In Sparta they would have
been tyrants, in Spain inquisitors, in this coun-
try they are-legislators.
THE NATURAL RESULT.
is a growing tendency to resort to what is called
moral or sumptuary legislation. The exper-
fence of past ages has shown how rarely such
legislation proves beneficial or permanent, al
though it may be expedient in rare cases. Be-
sides eakening the influence and RESPONSE iIity
of both families and individuals, and lowering
the moral influence of the church when func-
tiOns belonging exclusively to religion are reie-
gated to the civil law, the final outcome of this
form of paternal government must inevitably
prove disastrous to that respect for individual
liberty which so strongly diHerentiates our gov
eminent from that of former periods or of many
other nations. The perfect system does not
exist and probably never will in this world
Hence great caution should be exercised that in
avoiding one apparent evil, we do not fall into
one far more serious and permanent.
We admit that society improves it bee ONES
more complicated; just as the Atlantic steam
ship of to-day is far more intricate and complex
affair than the ship in which Columbus came
to America. But yet II can never be forgotten
that however vast be the increase of detail in
mechanism and organization of such a steam
ship, the first thing and the last thing to
slider in that wonderful fabric are the rights and
privileges OF the passenger for whom 1t was
built and for whose benefit the company was
chartered.
In like manner, If our republic presents a far
more complicated system than the governments
of other ages, it should still never be forgotten
that the state was founded for the people and
not the people for the state. We have far too
much legislation whatever be the remedy for
this over legislation, whether by reducing the
number of legislative sessions or by exercising
more caution in the selection of our legislators,
or otherwise, is it not time for us to consider
the drift of events? Is it not time for the peo-
pie to emphasize anew the fact that man is not
for the state but the state for every individual
man? S. G. W. BENJAMIN.