The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-17
q per cent.
RREAnsTURFS
State Interference With the Individus
Ouida In North American Review.


The state Is the enemy of all volition in
the individual; hence it is the enemy of all
manliness, of all force, Of all independ-
ence, and of all originality. The ext
gencies of the state, from its monstrous
taxation to its irritating bylaws. are in
continual antagonism with all those who
have character uncowed and vision unob-
scured. Under the terrorizing generic
term of law, the state cunning.y, and for
its own purposes, confounds its own petty
regulations and fiscal exaotions with the
genuine solemnity Of moral and criminal
laws. The latter any man who is not a
criminal will feel bound to respect; the
former no man who has an opinion and
courage of his own will care to observe.
Trumpery police and municipal regula-
tions are merged by the ingenuity of the
state into nominal identity with genuine
law; and for all its purposes, whether of
social tyranny or of fiscal extortion, the
union is to the state az useful as il il nc
titious. The state has everywhere dis
covered that it is lucrative and imposing to
worry and fleece the honest citizen; and
everywhere it shapes its civil code, there
fore, mereilessly and cunningly toward
this end. Under the incessant meddling
of government and its offspring, bureau
cracy, the man becomes poor of spirit
and helpless. He is like q child who,
never being permitted to have its own
way, has no knowledge of taking care of
itself, or of avoiding accidents. As, here
and there, a child is of rare and strong
enough stuff to break his leading
strings, and grows, when recaptured,
logged and sullen, SO are there men
who resist the dogma and dictation of
the state, and when coerced and chastised
become rebels to its rules. The petty ty-
rannies of the state gall and fret them at
every step; and the citizen who is law
abiding, so far as the greater moral code
is concerned, is stung and whipped into
continual contumacy by the impairment
interference of the civil code with his daily
life. Why should q man fill up census
return, declare his income to tax-gath-
erer, muzzle his dog, send his children TO
schools he disapproves. ask permission OF
the state to marry, or do perpetually what
he dislikes or condemns, because the state
wishes him to do these things? When q
man is a criminal, the state has right to
lay hands on him; but whilst he is inno-
cent of all crime his opinions and his OBJ
iections should be respected. There may
be many reasons-harmless or excellent
reasons-why publicity about his life is
offensive or injurious to him; what right
has the state TO pry into his privacy
and force him to write its details in
staring letters for all who run to read2
The state only teaches him to lie. You
ask me things that L have no right to tell
you," replied Jeanne dare to her judges.
So may the innocent man, tormented by
the state, reply to the state, which has no
business with his private life until he has
made it forfeit by crime. The moment
that the state leaves the broad lines Of
public affairs TO NEEDLE with the private
interests and actions of its people, II is
comDelled 10 enlist in It's service snfes and
informers. Without these it cannot make
mp its long lists of transgressions; II cam
not know whom to summon and what to
prosecute.