The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-22
TO THE EDITOR
THE HERALD under this heading prints COM
munications, but dos not assume re pom sibil.
ity far the continents expressed
Reverence For Law

Reverence For Law
An American statesman, whose name
will always live in our national history, &c.
clared, we have "a government of the peo-
pie, by the people, and,'' in theoretic
point of view, "for the people," l do not
intend to discuss its abs ract merits. be-
cause they need no discussion, but will en-
deavor to show some of the shortcomings
and excuses, not logically incident to our
civil policy and in nowise its fruit, but
which are to be attributed, more or less. to
misguided infiuenxe, and progressive di-
luton of the electoral system.
We are continually hearing that the same
causes which capped the..foundations of the
ancient republics and brought about the
decline and fall, are at work upon our
constitutional edifice, and will, sooner or
later, cause it's overthrow.
am not prepared to adopt 80 gloomy
and pessimistc view upon national at
fairs, although there are many things cal
culated to produce a discouraging outlook
for the future. yet when l remember the
irresistible strength of the nation, and that
the great attribute of our system is the
fixed and limited scope of governmental
action, together with individual freedom
and equality before the law, l am con-
strained 10 believe that the perpetuity and
prosperity of the republic is only limited
by the virtue and intelligence of the people.
When speak of personal liberty do not
mean an unbridled license in word and ac-
ton, unwarranted by the facts and unau-
thorized by the spirit and letter of the law.
| have no tenderness for those disaf-
fected people who imagine or proclaim
that they have real grievances because the
opinions and actions of the law makers
and those in authority over us do not COM
port with their own conceptions OF prln-
ciple or policy. Under our peculiar system
every man whose brow covers competent
| and willing brain has his voice and share
! in making the laws. and those who refuse
to reverence OF yield obedience to them are
either law breakers or are guilty of throw
| ing irEpediments in the way OF the eX-
ecutors of the laws. They are made for
the benefit of all the people, and it is the
! duty of all the people to reverence and to
| aid in their enforcement. am not an OPP
! timist, nor, indeed, am | a pessimist, but,
, like Horace, have an affection for the
| ''golden mean in ali matters pertaining to
! the national conscience and all that con-
Germs the national existence. Puoiic
| opinion in this country dos not equivo-
| cate when it has to deal with those who
violate the law. 1t is sufficiently drastic to
| make the offender feel that the state Is not
! an abstract entity. But it is with the APP
parently discontinued and unthinking ele-
ment in our popuation-those who are
pcrsistently "croaking" for self-serving
purposes, or because they are not alive to
/ the welfare of organized society that l
propose to deal. Really do not regard
them as sufficiently important to create
an alarm or to dignity robust peril. The
consequences of overt acts are always
| fixed in the American mind. and have
heretofore been profoundly sautary. We
| are busy, energetic and conservative peo-
pie. We are not always thinking OF pun
ishment, or getting ready to punish, or
continually tai king about it but when the
most always commensurate with the IN
fraction of the law. When Cavour
| died the Italian ''croakers de-
clared that the downfall and dissolu-
ton of that country was at nand'
since, no one, as they vainly imagined,
could follow the policy marked out by That
powerful statesman. But the dead Cavour
and the live Victor Emanuel regenerated
Italy and brought her to the position she
now occupies among the nations OF the
earth. So whatever evil-whatever cal5m-
ity may be foreto!d as to the stability OF
our governmental ediice, which shelters
all. must be regarded as the stupid ut
terances OF the minimizing and demorallzed
factions, who are struggling for official Ire
| and tue spoils incident thereto. Now 1t has
been said both by casuists and publlclets
that our republican government cannot en-
| dure this continual arraignment of Its pol
ices--this mockery of its principles. Our
political system is endowed with wonder
ful elasticity. nOu tIlaV IL tiio iCIih IA
| government is inadequate to ends for
! which it was devised-is adapted to the
wants of the people, and has the power OF
bestowing happiness and prosperity, there
is no impending danger i'll the idle vapor-
ngs of the disappointed denlzens OF the
cross roads and the pothouses. Inc rehl-
edy for all the ills in representative gov
eminent is in that government 1t sell. IL Is
true that tits highly unbecoming an Amer
lean voter and citizen to ascrlbe dishonesty
OF purpose and corrupt conduct to o1nclals
high in authority, simply because they nave
adopted policies which are not universally
endorsed, or belong to the opposite party.
There may be bribe-takers and brlbe'glv-
ers; there may be manipulators OF election
returns; there may be ballot-box suffers,
and all the protean forms OF fraud and
corruption. When these things become SO
general that there is danger of forming
rule, it is then high time to fear
and tremble, and to prevent the rule
these trained mercenaries, who degrade
and disgrace political affairs should be
sent to the rear. No kind of conformation
for such political crimes should be toerat-
ed, without regard to party OF past popu-
layity. To accomplish these ends; to pI q
serve the purity of our institutions, which
constitute a sacred trust in the hands OF
each generation, the country needs an
awakened conscience, quickened pubic
virtue, an abiding reverence for the wishes
of the people, and the enthusiasm of liv-
| ing faith in the prin ,iples upon which our
institutions are founded. The want OF
these conditions, is the great danger whicil
cnvirons any form of popular government
Whenever there is general decline OF
faith in the fundamental documents OF a
political system, it is time for political re-
generation to begin, or, we may rest as
sured that final disintegra ion and dissolu'
ton will set in. This faith is an indis-
pensable condition of publication and re-