Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-03-28
THE MULCT LAW.

'law'' is greatly misunderstood. "Mu-
nicipal Law is rule of civil conduct,
prescribed by supreme power in a
state. But this supreme power rests in
our country with the people, and mu-
nicipal law is, therefore, regulated ac-
cording to the will of the majority of
our people. Let this be kept in mind
and great many mistakes and evils
can be avoided. 1t is true, that In many
cases the minority rules, but in as free
a country as ours, the will of the ma
jority will at least be felt and enforced.
1t is amply an impossibility for min
GRITTY to impose upon Majority for
great length of time. If the majority
has been long imposed upon, then, when
the storm comes, it comes i'm hurri-
cane, violently sweeping before it all
in its way.
This, then, is law, established by
nature herself. And if the majority of
the people desire that a certain meas
ure shall be passed, it must and will be
passed. If the majority says: $50 it
be-" then so it is. Human beings are
endowed with free will by the great
Creator, and though certain way be
wrong, yet this free will wants to make
it right. Besides, humanity is not Gre
ated with perfection. Human beings
cannot discern all the truths, and an
experiment only will teach the lesson.
And if the majority is drifting in
wrong path, everybody with common
sense will admit, that it cannot be cor
rected by violent strokes, but the soft
| clasping arms of the mother, and her
gentle, sweet sounding words, coming
from heaving and uprighteous breast,
will draw her child to her loving
bosom.
The mulct law is condemned. Some
of the minute points are discussed
which amount to nothing, and time had
better not be wasted in treating of them.
Some features are a little in contrast
with the general rum of our laws, and
rumor is started, that woe will come
upon our land, because of these little
changes; because we do not strictly adj
here to that general rum of our laws.
And the Cavaliers of old are mourn
ing, because of the Introduction of
some new ways by their opposing
'ROundheads." The constitutionality
of these minor points is even drawn in
to question. While this is done, sight
is lost of the more important points.
We must not for one moment finch,
and rove in darkness. We must view
the condition as it is, and then, and
then only pass our judgment. 1t is in
deed not inspiring any youth of our
country with patriotism, when his head
is packed with contempt for our legis- |
latures; and disregard and contempt
for our laws will be produced more by |
this everlasting howl of drunken leg
islators," than by the laws as they stand, |
though they be in some wrong. The |
majority of our people selected our
representatives. Shall we. then, in the |
next moment, turn about, put them in
to the contempt of the people, denounce
them as traitors and deStrOyers of our
country? We must imagine ourselves
into the position of our representatives,
we must take into consideration the
vast responsibility which rests upon
them, we must remember the howlings
Of one party and the bellOwings of the
other. There can be no doubt concern
lug the fact, that if these radical lead
ers would be sent as our representa-
lives, they would either quiet down, or
would endeavOr to pass their radical
ideas, knowing themselves to be right,
knowing themselves to be perfect, and
thereby sweeping out of existence the
last signing hope for our country's
welfare.
| am not to defend the mulct law itself.
but the legislature which passed it, for
the reason already indicated, and for the
further reason, that human beings con-
stituted the legislature, that human i'm
PROJECTIONS were mingled with its
but that these endeavors
were made with an upright intention,
with heart replete with patriotism
and love for our country; and that the
mulct was the only law, or as good
law, as could have been passed under
the circumstances. We have seen that
the majority rules; if therefore, the
in any community is against
the liquor license, its will stands good,
and no power can wrest this from it.
Each community can, therefore. work
for its own good. We know, that if
the majority of each community is in
favor of liquor, the majorlties of the
of the whole state taken to-
gether, would constitute the majority
of the state, and thus the old law, con-
trary to the inclinations of the majority,
would soon see its grave. This state of |
may re iaI"Cnttd. iium2m-
lty is trail, is sometimes vicious. but
how can this evil be avcvted: look TO !
people that love YOUR country. and that
bewail the awful condition Of things. |
back TO your homes. Plant into the
breasts of the children of our country |
the seed of nObIeness. of unrighteouS-
ness, and do not plunge our nation into
greater vice by denouncing our repre-
sentatives as destroyers Of our country.
FRED Ii. BLUME.
OF all the specimens of iugra:itu