The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-11
OBSERVANCE OF LAW.

One of our Salt Lake ministers, Rev.
Adelbert L. Hudson, in his sermon last
Sunday morning called attention to the
prevalence of a spirit of law breaking,
or law-defying, throughout large
classes of society. He instanced the
disposition to avoid the payment of
taxes. the violation of law by great
corporations and the tendency toward
bribery and corruption SO frequently
manifested.
That the public conscience is dulled
respecting some forms of evasion of law
does not admit of question. 1t is, per-
haps, more apparent in connection with
field. The rule seems to be to evade
payment of lawful taxes whenever it
is possible. There are notable excep-
tons, but the rule is as stated A great
many persons would resent an insinua-
ton that they would avoid payment of
any tax if opportunity offered; yet those
same persons own all sorts of personal
property subject to taxation which they
do not return. If they are asked the
direct question if they have this or
that kind of property. they will answer
honestly, but if the assessor overlooks
anything it does not get on the list.
This is not true of all, but it is true of
too many.
Then, how many are there who will
have their real estate valuation raised
when they know it has been listed too
low? Again, how general it is for PEG
pie who are classnd among the best
citizens to cheat the government in the
matter of customs dues They will
resort to every device to get dutiable
goods through without payment of the
duty.
One of the arguments advanced
against the income tax law was that
it would encourage falsehood, deception
and perjury. II was held that the
means resorted to tor avoid the tax
would be demoraiizing to society This
argument was an admission that those
who are in the enjoyment of large in
comes and whoSare supposed to consti-
tute one of the strong classes of our
social structure would resort to base
means to avoid a tax.
And all this laxity results from fail
ure on the part of the individual to
appreciate his duty toward the com
munity. This is an intensely individual
age, and individuals are so bent upon
their own plans and purposes-so de-
voted to their own particular interests
that they overlook their community
status and fail in their duty toward the
body polite. 1t is a mistake which,
damaging the community, necessarily
damages the individual, and must in
the end be disastrous if it is not recti-
fed.
The community is really a subject
Of first interest to the individual, for IN
dividual opportunity would soon be de-
stroyed if the community became lost
to respect for law. Individual success
would be impossible if the community
were disorganized and lawless. Neither
life nor property would be safe without
law Im1 artially enforced by the popu-
lar will
Though these truths are self evident, !
individuals, in their desire for personal
aggrandizement, avoid; defy or violate
the laws that are made for the protec-
ton of all and thus contribute toward
conditions that constitute a menace
alike to the individual and to the COM
munity.
Of course a civilized people are not
likely to go so far as TO bring on chaos,
but it is always well to remember that
the most desirable opportunities are
found in the most perfect communities, |
that the character of the community is
dependent upon the character of the
individuals composing it, and that a
perfect reign of law can be secured only |
through perfect respect for and scrupu
lous observance of @fe law.