The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-07

respect, for the opinions of mankind; and
the protests made in behalf of the suffering
Jews so far have only excited q more Zero
cious spirit Of hatred against them. When
a nation takes it into its head to do wrong
nothing can prevent it or redress the griev-
ances Of the oppressed and injured except
another nation or combination of nations,
stronger than the first, shall interfere to
either stay the wrong or avenge 1t; and
the Jews alas have no friends who would
go so far as that, for that would be suit
in which cannon would be the barristers.
One useful lesson may be learned from
this unfortunate persecution of the Rus
sian Hebrews, and we commend it to the
consideration Of our friends hereabouts
who are trying to be Republicans because
they favor the GENERALIZATION of power in
government. That lesson is this: that
centralized power is not the preventive of
! injustice and outrage against an unpopu
lar people; if it were the Jews would
not now be fleeing from Russia stripped OF
their earthly possessions, their limbs
SCARED and swollen by their chains. In
Russia Capitalization obtains the very acme
of its operations, and yet so far from being
on the side Of the oppressed and those who
need its exercise in their behalf, it is to be
found operating against them; nay, is the
very source from which spring all their
troubles. 1t has ever been thus. Trans
plant that centralized power to America,
let it take the place of our democratic insti-
tutions, and it would operate the same here
as it does there, snd as it has done all down
tho limo of hnr Mankind
have learned to their cost, as the Russian
Jews are now learning, that the king can
do wrong, theories made venerable by an
tiouity to the contrary notwithstanding;
and our advocates of centralized power
which is despotism-would lind, as a
thoughtful writer hath said, that the
benefits OF despotism' are short-lived; 1t
poisons the very springs it lays open. Ii 1t
displays merit it is an exceptional one;
If a virtue. il is created OF circumstances;
and once this better hour has passed away,
all the vices of its nature break forth with
redoubled violence, and weigh down society
IN every direction" 1t may be impossible
to so arrange matters that the king or
government-which in America stands for
the king-can do no wrong but it is surely
the policy of wisdom to so arrange il that
he can do the least possible amount of harm,
and therefore let him be limited in his
powers. circumscribed by institutions, and
let constitutions and laws be above king or
government, and let the people of the ma
ton, and not the king or government. be
the custodians of their own liberties. But
may not the people do wrong. Yes, in
deed they may. Nations may sin, as well
as individuals, but they are less liable to do
wrong than a despot intoxicated, not to say
corrupted with the glory of his unnatural
powers. And when people do wrong they
are more Immediately responsible to GoD
for their wrong doing than when first daz
zled and then led tray by corrupt king
and court whom they may be powerless 10
restrain. And there are some wrongs COM
mitted in this world, especially by nations,
which COP alone can correct and TO whom
the oppressed must look for a redress of
grievances; and he, in HIS own way and
time, will doubtless be the minister of his
justice with which those who have suffered
the wrong will in all respects DE satisfied.