Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-05-27

ment and Of what should be It's limita-
lions is that it "Should prevent men
from i0juring one another and leave
them otherwise free"
Those who accept this view must al
ways oppose themselves 70 all attempts
TO use government as a benevolent and
charitable institution for executing the
will OF a majority, an oligarchy or q
single deSpot. They will deny that one
man has the right 70 use force in a.
tempting 10 improve the mind, the
morals or the physical condition OF an
other, aud, holding this, they will deny
that what is wrong 10 itself for the indi'
vidual can be right 10 any number OF
individuals composing a majority. Gag
erosion, which Is fagitious, when com
mitted by one, is not sanctited when
committed By a host, says Mr.. Spencer
What Is wrong for one man is wrOnG
for sixty-fve millions. No man can
delegate 20 government the right which
be does not himself possess, or vest Ia
IL authority 20 use violence which be
himself cannot rightly exercise.
When men are prevented from in1ur
ing each other and left otherwise free,
all their action must tend TO their own
betterment and the betterment OF soci'
ETY., since no man who has not lost his
reason will voluntarily injure himself
II government prevents him from in
juring others, he must either do nothing
at all or else all he does must tend &c
help himself aud others.
1t is on the tendency Of men to action
that those who believe in liberty rely
for progress. II prevented from doing
wrong, they will not become inactive.
They will do right. All human eXpe
rience shows this. Only q small per-
centage OF the men In any community
fall into inactivity. The activity Of the
rest for good or evil is virtually cease
less, and as this activity is prevented
from taking the wrong direction, 1t be-
comes more and more oenefcient, as ed
ucation increases the moral feeling py
which men are governed more than by
enactment: In the absence Of which,
enactment is invalid. moral feeling,
says Mr.. Spencer, lis force by which
mems actions are restrained within GER
tain bounds, aud no legislative mechau'
ism can really increase its results. BY
so much as this force is deficient, by so
much must its work remain undone."
1t is certainly true that through the
increase OF this moral feeling, rather
than through the increase OF enact
ments, comes the increase in the power
and willingness of each individual 10
help all the rest-a willingness which
constitutes an increasing civilization.
There must be the will as we'll as the
power TO help. If one man is forced,
either by the whip Of an overseer oil
slaves or by the visit OF the tax collec-
tor. 10 help others be is doing no more
for civilization than can be dOne by 8
slave or a convict
IN civilization could be increased by
the enforced cooperation Of one man
with All the rest. or oy his involuntary
ssrvitude for the benefit Of all the rest,
the problem would be simplifed TO that
OF providing OverSeers enough and
prisons enough. But civilization is not
A mere fact Ills spirit, and facts are
merely evidence Of its existence. Take
away the spirit, aud the facts which
indicate its presence must disappear
with 10.
All civilization is the result Of liberty,
because all civilization is the spirit OF
willingness in the man to help all Others
as far as be is able. Ability to help in
creases with willingness, and decreases
with the unwillingIeSs which comes OF
coercion.