St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-09

matter how Objectionable it may be in
itself. as long as it is in existence 1t is
the citizens duty to obey it, and the au-
thorities' duty to compel them to do so
if they show any reluctance.
The Pioneer Press, with an
entertaining wealth of Illustrations,
has maintained that many laws
are not capable or worthy of enforce
ment, that many of them ought never
to have been enacted, that some which
were good enough at one time are OBJ
solete, although they have never been
repealed. that some even which are new
deserve to be disregarded, ana that
there have been occasions when active
resistance to law was patriots highest
duty.
Polemics waged at the distance of writ
ten words do not admit of the fleXibility
which is eSseetial to fair battle and
the arrival at haven of truth, and Mr..
FREEMAN goes further than he really
intends to when he denies that there is
anything in this position. He would
not seriously contend, for example, that
law which requires violation of the
fundamental principles of. Christianity
would have any sanctity in his eyes, or
that he would be under any obligation
to submit to it. The whole history
of Christianity is history of conflict Of
one set of statutes with another, and
the whole history Of patriotism is the
history of resistance to laws which eX-
cited the opposition of those who
thought that they were wronged by
them. The teachings of Christ were as
much at war with the prevailing codes
of his time as were DAvID's prayers
as he turned his face towards Jerusalem.
JOHN HANCOCK and SAMUEL ADAMS
gave birth to our glorious republic
when they defied the English orders in
council; and for this reason, and this
reason only, monuments are raised to
their memory in every modern center of
liberty. Mr.. FREEMAN knows these
things, and believes them too, although
his letter implies that he does not; but
he suggests the great difficulty in the
problem when he asks what is to be the
standard of conduct if the law is not.
The Pioneer Press does not answer
this question, and. really, it is quite
INCAPABLE of answer in anything like
complete and categorical way. There
is no Disgusting the fact that it is a diff
iiculty and barrier to correct and sat
isfaetory reasoning on moral topics, but
on the other hand the fact that so many
clergymen think that it can be
answered, and that ethics can
be reduced to the form of an
exact science with definite form an
rules, all laid down ready for use with
infallible accuracy when needed, is the
thing which pats them oft of touch
with the great mass Of mankind, and
weakens the force of their teachings.
The boy who memories the formula of
cube root can solve a problem, if you
give it to him, and be sure that his an
Swer is right, because he can reverse
the process and prove it. But in
every practical problem i'll morality,
whether the individual or the commu-
nifty is the field, men who have lived and
wrestled in the world know from their
own experience that there is a bewIlder-
ing contention of opposing principles
at work, and that no solution is possible
without some one of them suffering if
the others are to prevail. DR.. STORRs,
of Brooklyn, most scholarly and
eloquent of preachers, has made
this familiar difficulty the sub
ject of profound study and has
fearlessly advanced the idea that, if
there is any road out of it, it will be
found by training the heart to respond
to high motives. Its promptings can then
be followed in any crisis with the COLI
seriousness that the result, while not
ideal, is the best that is attainable. The
laws of the state and the rules of mo-
rallty are like the rules of whist, or the
principles which one learns as he
begins the mastery Of craft
or an art. They tram the COM
munity or the individual in the direc-
ton towards which he is striving, but
the successful whist player or the skill
full mechanic has no hesitancy in depart
ing from them if his enlightened judg-
ment suggests this course. Laws are
valuable tools. but that is all. The
progress and advancement of the COM
munity is the great thing, and the tools
can be broken ruthlessly and cheerfully
if this will help the general welfare.