Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-06-09


the gro W,h Of society ana tbe develop.
ment OF civilization external restraints
have been gradually weakened ann re-
speci for individual liberty has been
correspondinTly increased. This evoIu-
ton OF the idea OF government has IN
tipued until II 10 now geneaalIy recog-
nizsd that Its junction lie. not
to reguiste our ideas, our work, or or
excha We; but to secure TO each his
nstural rights, and to prevent lew
from mont policing the sources OF the
necessities and Q mforts OF life. Viewed
In this light II must bs evident that
law or force which goes beyond
this government junction restrici-
ing the exercise OF the facilities
ami interfering with the Q ntrol
/ Of private property ts violation OF The
principIe for winch 1t stands.
BiackstoneI snys "that no human
laws are OF any validity II contrary To
| the law OF nature, anu sui h OF them
ns are valid derive all their force anu
their authority, mediately or Inn
| mediateIy, from this orisinal."
II this 10 n fundamental truth, a.
we believe IT. Is, then az men DO
come capable Of conforming u,
tho lave of nature through person e.
insight and moral power, the need
human laws q external control
dim inished. "Jusi as much ~ the love
| Of 9ou's law IL illuminated" says
Herbert Spencer, "must the fear oil
mans ilaw tie called TO supply liz
place." This relation OF human laws
| to the law OF nature Ia not always
| clearly ne Il ned. Human laws are some.
times conf.u iJed with Justice, and 1t IL
| supposed that whatever 10 enacted by
Legislators 10 the supreme moral law.
The TACT is the moral lew 10 before the
law OF man and Independent OF them.
Human governments are Instituted u
| protect those that conform to the
| supreme moral law anu to restrain
those that iDjure tneir fellow.man by
| disobsyiDg that law.
Another common error is the notion
| that the state IL an almighty power
| able to give to the cit.zsns all sorts OF
benefits and that 1t couli make all the
| citisens rich aud prosperous II only
the right political party could get con.
| troll. lustssd OF the psopie's supporting
the government II 10 thought
that the government should support
the people, OF courss It would follow
that instead OF the peoples con.
trolling the government the govern.
msnt should control the people. The
French constitution oil 1848 declared
itself . republic Tor the purpose OF rais-
ing all the citizens to an ever iDcreas.
Ing degree OF morality, enIighteI m ant
aud we'll being, a. though France
were some divine spiHit, apart
rom and above the people,
merely changing its form that 1,
might be the beiter able TO bless the
people With Its U.unties. With this
magical conception OF an all wise and
all powerful slate II was naturally
thought to be the duty OF government
to dispense bounties and to supervise
he private sffsirs OF the citl.
Esns. A French political party
OF nifty years ago closed iif
manifesto with the declaration
that government ought to give great
deal to ths people aud take Iittis from
them" The question "a TO whore the
government gets this ''grsat deal'
seem not TO have been considered. But
the people expected II; and no politi.
cal party could hope LOT success ri
elections unless IL made some sweeping
promises. In consequence every sue.
cessful party was party Of promises,
promises which, in the nature OF the
case, 1t could never iulhIl. The history
OF these times 10 q history OF disap.
pointmsnis and political revolutions,
the result Of mad desire for the re.
alixation OF an impossi0ility, like 9
chiId's Drying for the mon.
J America has been I'll icted and II
sfll icted today with this same menta
usiusiou. Almost every great corpor
alton sends an attorney to WAshiu T.
|, A. tn. hal xulI Il.
millions to those already acquired
And every now and then ilabol
| leader arises who would lead an army
J of the unemployed 10 the capital, de
manding work OF the government.
} The nation 10 greatly alarmed at thi
sciion Of the laboring man, but 10 hi
act more unreasonable or more per
nicious than the aot OF the capitalist IL
sending his attorney? How can th,
government furnish labor for the IN
, employed? How shall 1t pay then
except by taxing money from tn,
: people; and that by force, that 10 b,
} taxation In s)me form or other.
: This Ia at once recognized ss an In
. Justice. But the demand OF III,
! capitalist lie still more unjust. H.
. wants to get something for nothing
aud that something must be taken iron
, his fellow citizens. II he ia seekinl
TO avoid competition, and, b,
] securing monopoly, to adj
. ami artificial value to his product, b
? 10 seeking the enrichment Of himsel
at the expense Of others. II is I
, bounty he demands the question q
I once srihes, how shall the government
pay him for the manufacture OF o.
. article unless II tskes the money frsn
{ private purses? A direct violation O
. Inc law oftqual rights.
: But be does not mean TO DO din
honest. His demands are based upol
misooI ception OF the powers OF state
Commenting upon this popola
mistake. Bsstiat says "Govern
meut is the great fiction through
which every body endsavors I
live at the expense Of every body else
The difference between Bss,iat an
these government seeking capitalist
and unemployed laborers Is that th
latter have not yet realized that 1t
all q fiction.
Tho latter part Of Mr.. Bennion'
Grafton dealt with the subject of OF
cessive public service In the way {
state inspection OF private INDUSTRY.
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