The record-union., 1896-05-25
TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT.

"Harpers Weekly" considers the
Of the restraint of law? There is no
doubt about it. The American dispost-
ton is to do everything by Act of Legis-
lature. No reform can be suggested or
thought Of but that the immediate de-
mand is not made that it be enforced by
Act"
The assumption of a large body of the
people appears to be that because a sug-
gestion is wise the only way to make it
effective is to attach a legal penalty for
failure TO follow it. If we are to remain
a free people it will be because we have
some liberty to do wrong. The restraint
that completely shuts off free will and
trains all activity in life to the rule
and line of statute Is very little short
of slavery.
The much legislation Of the American
system Is its chief danger to-day. 1t is
quite impossible to keep track of the
laws defining as criminal acts of omis-
sion and commission in small things.
The multiplicity of laws and the in
crease of governmental interference
really give some color of justice to the
claim Of the anarchists that the ideal
state Of society is that in which there
are no human laws; one In which COM
plete personal liberty obtains leaving
every one to take the consequences Of
his acts according to the natural code.
But such a system would reduce
US to state Of savagery, as was the
primal state of man in nature.
One difficulty with which we have to
contend is the persistence of the pro-
fessional reformers; another is the mis-
conception Of so large a number of our
people that law consists Of statutes
and that whatever the legislative body
DEGREES Is law, rather than arbitrary
rules. which may or may not be (mostly
are not) based upon right principle AS
the Weekly we'll says:
People like to do as they please. and
1t Is the laws business to secure the
largest possible share of that privilege
to the greatest possible number of them.
The laws concern is to provide for per-
sonal security, the protection of prop
erty and individual liberty. 1t is not its
business to stand in parents place to
children who have parents whose re-
sponsibility and competence have not
been impeached. 1t does not follow he
cause a certain line of conduct is good
that 1t should be made compulsory. nor
because certain practices seem to be
detrimental to the public comfort or
welfare that they should be prohibited
Liberty TO do right is not liberty unless
it includes considerable measure OF
liberty to do wrong. We have a right II
look to law for protection, for the main
tenance Of of order, for the promotion
of the greatest good Of the creates,
number in many ways but not even the
apparent interests of the greatest n11no-
Der should be suffered to interfere over
much with the privilege of every citi-
zen to live his own life and work o,,t
his own salvation according TO his
lights. The preachers task is to make
men good, the teachers task to make
men wise, and natures task is to nro-
vide that effect shall follow cause and
that each in the long-run shall rear
what he has sown. The legislators tot
is distinct from all three, and when he
tries to make it include the others he
attempts what he cannot aceomnl,sh
and by meddling with what does no,
concern him, prejudices his office and
impairs his power to effect what it really
belongs to him to do