The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-06-07
LAW.

LAW.
It Should Be Broad In It's Application
and Clear In Its Definition.
Law is the underlying principle of
organized existence, giving stability to
society, strength TO government, and
unity of interest and purposes to reach
regularity to the whole. Upon it soci
ETY. rests and by it governments are en-
abled to control, protect, and preserve
society. Without law, society would
not exist in it's higher organized condi-
tion; disorganize society to-day, and to-
morrow reorganization would begin
anew. To submit to law is instructive
with mankind, and the instinct becomes
the most potent factor in preserving
domestic peace and maintaining local
and national respect for the supreme
power of law, whether that power be
productive of good or evil. Law is
rule of action prescribed by a superior
power. That superior power may rest
and be recognized in, and traced up
ward from the autOcratic and savage
chief of tribe, to the individual sover-
eigns of the demos proper. All laws
are either active or passive and may be
classed under two heads; namely, laws
prohibitive and laws restrictive. Each
of them have their subdivision which
becomes in time, the nucleus of other
divisions until the entire fabric is as an
inverted pyramid resting upon an apex
of individual rights-1nd liberties. The
first requirement of a law is to provide
rule Of action governing those by and
for whom that law has been established
Then to render justice to each and
every citizen regardless of wealth or
position; for equality before the law is
an absolute necessity for its just admin
istration. Any deviation from this
principle will engender weakness, dis
order and civil strife. Law must be
broad in it's application and clear in its
definition 1t must permit all freedom
of action in the individual, consistant
with the harmony and good order Of
society, when the exercise thereof does
not interfere with the same freedom
of another 1t must be just with citi-
zen, society and itself; recognizing
neither wealth nor position in the Civ
ing and guarding of the inalienable
rights of suffrage, of free thought,
speech and religious opinion. 1t must
produce or render possible a collective
and normal advancement, promote the
individual welfare of each, maintain
the general welfare OF all. The superb
or power controlling our present social
system is vested in our legislative,
executive and judiciary bodies. These
in turn rest uL on the various state con-
stitutions and the whole upon that mon
ument of WISDOM the National COnsti-
tuition. Our lawmakers are the as
sumed Representatives of the people
at large; upon their election, it is taken
for granted that they will enact such
laws as will meet the desires of the
majority. We assume that the law
making body is created to further the
interests of the people, the masses; to
devise means whereby the protection of
life, liberty and property will be ample
under all normal conditions. TO frame
and pass such laws as shall be stimula-
tive Of good, remedial of wrong, protec-
tive in character, not for one but for all
a preventative of evil and punitive when
the evils are discovered, and under all
circumstances applied justly and equal
ly to each and all. They are not elect
ed to prescribe law, or to say at what
or when people shall labor, or to favor
the labor of one class to the detriment
of another, or to interfere in any way
with the private or individual rights Of
; the citizens of the commonwealth
Nor are they to enact laws that are the
! embodiment of Individual ideas, having
| no general demand for recognition OF
, adoption. They also cannot enac
l special laws except those having gen
eral application; nor to legislate indis
criminately upon any and all subjects
Such procedure creates and maintain
f abnormal social conditions. It in
creases the volume of crime and pau