St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-22


Who Proves False to His
Pledges-The Devils In He'll
Despise Him-The Shameless
Fiftecn-Doiiar Incident and
the Call 1t an "Indiscretion"
Defense OF the Pioneer Press.
Rev. S. G. Smith, Of the Peoples
church, always strikes from the shoul-
der. and yesterday morning he was es-
pecially vigorous. 1t was manifest from
the countenances of his auditors that
they would have been glad if the pro-
prieties of the occasion would have per-
mitted approving applause. The whole
discourse led up to center shot upon
the present reform administrator" of
st. Paul, and whitening rebuke was
administered to the man chiefly respon-
sible for the present situation.
In the abstract of his remarks pre-
sented the sub-headings are the
GLOBES. but the remainder is the Ian
guage used by DR.. Smith.
His theme was Law and Morals" and
taking for his text l. Tim, l., s, But we
know that the law is good if man use
it lawfully" he said:
''The state is not device, but ne
cessity. In the clashing of human in
terests, as we'll as in the war of human
passion, there could be no security or
hope save i'll the establishment of COM
mon authority; the state seeks the se-
curity of life and property. and must
further undertake to do for all its cit-
zens what cannot as we'll be done by
private enterprise. In order to secure
the rights of the citizens there must be
laws, 50 that all will know what they
have a right to expect under
given conditions. But laws in
volve police power, for unless
there is power to enforce law
it falls into contempt, and the state is
ruined. The state is fundamentally
founded upon justice, for it seeks to
define ard enforce certain rights. 1t is
to be doubted if state. however barbar-
Gus or despotic, could even continue to
exist if it did not show clear margin
i'll favor of Justice and against wrong.
So essential is morality to all order. An
absolute despotism is form of the state
which vests all power. both OF making
laws and executing them, in one indi-
Yidual. Such state is always akin to
anarchy Because It is founded upon:
caprice, and when the whimsicalities of
the ruler become intolerable the people
kill him.
In civilized states it has been agreed
that the safety of society is found in di-
vlding the responsibility of government
into three divisions. The legislative to
make the laws. the judicial to pass upon
law and conduct,and the administrative
! to execute the laws and conduct the
government. 1t is generally believed
that by the harmonious action of these
three departments, under constitutional
guarantees which define their duty and
their powers, can the greatest security
be obtained, together with the widest
liberty that is compatible with social
safety.
The municipal state is form of gov
ernment under which the Inhabitants of
q Sity LII Ql1S1S III ilO
particular from any other state. That
is to say, from the general government.
But the principles of government are to
be applied in restricted area, and 10
settle complex problems. 1t may easily
be said that the problem of government
is the management of cities. The du-
ties of the mayor of st. Paul are more
difficult and delicate than those of the
governor of Minnesota. The problems
of the mayor of New York are severer
than those OF the president OF the
United States. In the municipal state
interest, ambition and passion are
crowded together in very narrow the
ater. And in the jostling of motley
figures upon the stage there is little
room for dignified and old-fashioned
virtue.
THE BEST POSSIBLE.
In the framing of statutes to govern
state the wise legislator does not aim at
the best thinkabie, but at the best, pos
sible. The maxim of all sound states
mansmp has been that legislation can
not move faster than the best wisdom
and conscience Of the majority. This
is certainly true in free state, and is
measurable true in every state. 1t is to
be expected. therefore, that the church
and tie school will teach higher
patriotism and a loftier morality than
has ever been embodied in the statutes
or manifested in secular institutions.
This is the vast value of church and
school to society, for they preserve and
enforce the ideal. and so make the
evolution of higher forms of civic virtue
possible Church and school handle
the lever which lifts society out of the
mud. The political power puts under
the blocking of sound law and institu-
tions to maintain the progress which
has been gained.
DIFFERENT THEORIES.
There are different schools of thinkers
as to the extent and number of the ends
which the civil power should seek to
secure. There are those who believe
that in respect to property the only duty
of the state is to secure each man from
robbery. Iu like manner it is believed
that with respect to morals the only end
which the state should aim to secure is
the freedom of the individual so far as
he does not encroach upon his neighbor.
Whatever may be though Of the ends
which may be regarded as purely ethi-
cal, it is coming more and more clearly
to be seen that the achievements of re.
ligIon must be entirely voluntary.
The free life of society manifested
through the church or newspaper or lit
erature may come in conflict with the
laws as laid down by state. This can
happen chiefly under two forms.
First-When the rising tide of ethical
development raises the general tone of
the community high above some ancient