St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-26
THE APOLOGY FOR CRIME.

not reflected deeply nor considered the
danger of their position. They say that
the proposed prize fight was disgrace
full thing, and that it ought to have
been suppressed. That is true. They
say further that there was no agency at
hand more effective for this purp ose
than the local militia. Perhaps this
also is true. They say that the event
proves the wisdom of the step because
the Objectionable exhibition was arrest
ed, the great crowd of strangers, who
might have become unruly, were dis
persed without the employment of any
form of violence, and the city passed
| through the crisis quietly, peacefully
and without any breach of order or de-
corum. All these things are true, too.
But here is something else which is
true. The prize fight was stopped be-
cause it was to be violation OF law. 1t
was Objectionable in itself, subverSive
of civil dignity, and in direct conflict
with the statutes of the state. But it
would have been no more fragrant a
breach of law had it gone on than was
the act of the governor of Minnesota
and the sheriff of Ramsey county in
barricading the streets of st. Paul in a
time of peace, with men IN soldiers
uniforms and carrying ammunition and
muskets in their hands. The GLOBE
goes further than this. and declares that
it would have been better, thousand
times better, to have allowed two pugi-
lists, or score of pugilistS, to contend
even to the death in prize ring in this
city. than to have trif1ed with the funda-
mental principles of the liberty secured
us by the constitution, as was done
when the military authorities were
called on to interfere in civil dispute
without necessity and without the
countenance of law, People who think
differently from this do not realize the
seriousness of the situation.
Soldiers have no field of action ex-
cept when war is waging or when there
is an immediate and imminent prospect
of a physical disturbance. No public
officer has a right to their assistance in
the execution of a civil function unless
he is resisted by overwhelming YiO-
lence in the performance of his duty.
No unfounded. anticipation OF such re-
sistence justifies their employment, be
cause this would mean their constant
presence in the midst of us to obey the
responsible orders of every timid or
h0t-headed official who cared TO COM
mand them. The presumption in a
law-abiding community, like ours, is
that the behests of the eXecu-
tive authorities will be submit tied
TO without opposition or demurrlng
and every officer called Oh to act is
bound to recognize the pressure of this
popular spirit and disposition if it eX-
lists. and to shape his plan of action in
conformity with it. and relying on its
support and assistance. 1t would have
been far happier for US all had Sheriff
BEAN been endowed with the good
judgment to appreciate this fact. In
such case be would not have insulted
the county which has honored him with
political preferment. nor spread abroad
the feeling that the law is not strong
enough to enforce itself among us, as
he did when he subordinated the civil
to the military authority in this city.
The GLOBE speaks in no tones. of mar
low partisanship when it earnestly as
serts that the men who are responsible
fer this crime are not mt to be entrusted
with authority in this state. They are
out of touch with the temper of this
community and ignorant of the theory
which pervades the institutions we have
fof
ence of a few thousand irresponsible
strangers within our city limits is a
sufficient excuse for Capt. BEAN to
place himself at the head of a body of
troops and take possession of private
property by force of arms, there is no
reason why he should not always be at
tended by a battalion Of militia, and
why he should not compel submission
to his most eapricious desires by the
argument of the sword and the bayonet.
When he serves jury summons upon a
citizen, or a warrant of arrest upon a
criminal, he is not obeyed because his
muscle or his ability as a fighter coerces
the citizen or the criminal. but be-
cause everybody in place like
] Oh L dili lECOz lllLNo liAG BOhCL VI lilC
civil authorities, and responds to their
! calls as a matter of course. All friends
of patriotism and of liberty would have
this condition of things unaltered. But
how long will itremain so if our citizens
get the idea that in every eXigency the
law will triumph only if it is backed by
superior numbers and superior physical
strength? 1t will then require stand
ing army at first to enforce the laws,
| and after while the laws will them
| selves cease to exist, because stand
ing army with its officers has supplanted
and destroyed them. No one who reads
history can gainSay the truth of this DO
stion. No one who loves his country
will fail 10 protest against any official
acts which carry the germs Of this great
| danger. Good men and honest news
papers, who apologize for the needless
employment of force for the malnte-
nance of civil order, have not reflected
enough on the consequences of such