The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1901-05-16

promptings of their better nature, but
which all men call the pursuit of happi-
ness. Hence it is not only determina-
tion of the sphere of government, but
enunciation of fundamental principle
of ethics and profound religious
profession, when our forefathers in
their magnificent Declaration of In
dependence asserted that all men were
created equal, that they are endowed
| by their creator with certain unalien-
able rights, that among these are life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The state should see to it that no
individual interferes with another's
life, with his power to speak or act, or
his pursuits of happiness. This is the
source of the police power of the state,
one of the earliest functions assumed
by every community. And as the state
owes to all its citizens collectively what
it owes to each one, it must also see
that their life, liberty, and pursuits of
happiness are not abridged by citizens
of other states. Thence comes the
right of defense and the power to
maintain an army and navy, Moreover,
the right to life, liberty, and pursuit of
happiness is unalienable. 1t cannot
be bartered away or sold away or given
away, much less stolen away. No man
can own another. Slavery is a crime
against nature, and it is the duty of
the state to abolish it wherever it
exists. Equal natural rights is the
first principle applicable to government
of the state.
This is but another way of saying
the state shall prevent the private
right of some from interfering with
the private rights of others.
While it is true that society owes no
man living, it is equally true that a
just society should see to it that every
individual has chance to make a
living for himself to the extent that
his means admit. On desert islands,
society represented by shipwrecked
crew might find it impossible to afford
access to such means, because they do
not exist. But on this island of a
world, floating through space, teeming
with superabundance of all things
capable of sustaining life and educating
the higher faculties, where nature
responds so kindly to every effort of
the human mind, there is certainly
enough and to spare for every individual
that may be born into it. If the in
dividual is lazy or wicked and will not
exert his faculties to obtain the means
of living, he deserves no sympathy.
But such is not human nature; man
naturally seeks to acquire things with
the least expenditure of time and labor,
but that is very different thing from
saying that he would rather starve
than work. And if there be such a
man, he should see to it that equal
natural rights are secured.
A corollary of this is that natural
opportunities should be maintained.
Now natural opportunities are not
equal if some members of the race are
permitted to charge less fortunate
fellow-beings for their use. To be
equal these opportunities must be a5-
solutely free or their value for use
must not be allowed to acrue to the
benefit of private individuals. With
the air or the water, for instance, which
are of such physical character that
their use by one does not preclude their
use by another; their very nature
makes them absolutely rec.
Land may be possessed and used in
common and substantial equality be
secured, such as is found among the
Indian tribes. But the whole experience
Of this world has shown that such COM
mon possession of land works against
individual improvement. against pro-
gress, against civiiizes1ggs 1t is worth
while to consider whether equal oppor-
tunities here may be secured in q
better way by the state retaining for
the whole people the annual value for
use Of the land, leaving actus! possess
sion undisturbed as an inducemenf for
individuals to improve 1t. -