Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-06-07

The cry that the law government must not be
above the people has no support in history. This
sentiment has done untold injury to the questions of
loyalty to law and in many it has been used as
subterfuge for designing politicians and un-
faithful officers of the law. The law of Sinai, which
is fast becoming the adopted law of the world, was
not found according to the mental or moral concep-
ton tastes and desires of the children of Isrea
who had just emerged from slavery, but according
to etera Justice, and was as infexible in principle
and demands as the stones which it was written,
and, instead of constructing a law to suit adverse
and fallen human nature, the law, by its very educa-
tional influence and high standard of justice and APP
peas to the inward of right reconstructed the
character OF the people and put them upward
trend
The whole pathway of the onward march of human
progress is full of illustrations, and many the in
stances where whole systems of wickedness and
heather dolatry of long standing which were seated
in the very thought and customs were changed by
foreign law prohibiting all former habits soon. by
the very force of its righteousness the subjects vol
UNFAIRLY obeyed and gladly accepted it their rule
of life.
The transition and change of opinion that has
taken place in the south since the emancipation of
the slaves certainly illustrates this principle The
thought that slavery was right was deeply mbedded
in the warp and wool of the southern people yet,
thank Cod the flag that brought freedom to all floats
to-day over united people, who fast becoming
unit as to the wrong of slavery. AS Jesus said
eff be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me-" so
all righteous law if kept before the people and ele
waited to the throne of authority will by Its appeal to
human sense of right draw hayward humanity to it
and make it easy to do right and hard to do wrong
There is no greater transforming power or educa-
tional influence than law. Well has the Psamist
said, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting
the soul the testimonies of the Lord are sure max
ing the wise the simple, and in keeping of them
there is great reward"
Let us ask those who camor for standard OF law
low enough in the scale of morals to suit the selfish
passions and depraved nature Of the saloon element
"Where do you get your right tor such demand !"
"Do you find it in the design of government which
has for its object the perfection of the race?" elias
not the supreme court said that has the in
herent right to sell ntoxicants" 1t is nothing less
than hellish power forced humanity as was
slavery and all other crushing wrongs that like
parasitic have forced themselves on hopeless peo'
ple believe that if the United States congress- in
the name of God and humanity, would unfurl the
stars and stripes above the capitol and write across
its sacred coors Protection to the home and state
and death to the rum traffic" it would call forth
perfect storm Of holy enthusiasm, and hope that
would ill the air with shouts of victory and the
temperance motto would soon VIGOROUSLY float over
every town aud city in our land.
One stroke of Lncolns pen that broke the shackles
of four million slaves did more to nerve the arm OF
the North and paralyze the spirit of the rebellion
than ANYTHING else because it bad back of the or
daned power of authority. This daring act was
not done when northern sympathizers and southern
rebels were ready for it by loss of confidence in
their cause but it was done at time when all
through the north the cry "the war is failure"
and the south was hopeful of victory; and we all
know that from that very moment heaven sanctioned
the righteous act and turned the victory on the side
of the north.
Let the nation once more rise up in the name OF
home and native land and build her banner on the
the Gbralter of sobriety and the gates OF hell shall
not prevail against it." Local option is failure
and the only thing that will lift come of the foreign
element to the high and life of prohibition is
the arm of law We have already spent one hundred
wears of education and moral suasion without check
ing this great evil. New York, Boston and Chicago
where church steepes pointing to heaven by the
thousand, and where each nationality has strong
religious force to the rum power, the sa'
looms hold sway.
In Garnett, mere village, with her school houses,
ten churches and Sunday schools, the joints have
been running unhindered in the face of ALL Why is
IL? 1t is because have not worked for temper
ance and clean town Do not the joints exist be-
cause the state is untrue to her God-given trusT
Power to suppress this evil is not in the hands OF
the Church. She was not ordained to use force