New-York tribune., 1902-10-27
NOT 4 LAR.ABLDLNG PEOPLE


Miss Jane Adams when asked a few daSS
ago 10y William f. Curtis, What is the ma"er
with Chicago?" replied promptly that the great
fault of the people of that city was their olS-
respect of the law. She added: There Is Il
'sort of good natured. happy-golucky evasion Oh
1.-The one side, and liberation on the other. poln
among the more educated and intelligent cl'i-
.zens and among the poor and ignorant classes
when all of them ought To stand up for me
laws. and not only obey them but see tha'
"others obey them also
We are by no means prepared TO believe mat
this is the only thing that is the matter Win
Chicago. but without doubt it is one thing the
matter with Chicago, as it is thing 'he
matter with the whole country. Miss Adams
specifications of the lax enforcement of uh-
popular laws. of neglected tenement house reg
ulatiOns. sanitary codes ana various municipal
ordinances sound strangely like a catalogue
of New-NOrk-s shortcomings LawIessness, we
fear. Is a characteristic American trait-not IN
territorial warfare on society such as the burglar
wages. but just good natured contempt for laws
which do not suit individual taste or conyen-
ience Possibly this is one of the results or
popular government 1t may he that because
the people as a whole make the laws the peo-
pie as individuals feel that they have right
lar government, yet its people have a reverence
for their own laws and are scrupuIous in obey
ing them. If the law there forbids driving on
the wrong side of a street or stopping on
cross walk. the law is obeyed Here everybody
does more or less as he peases: and the Off
cials whose business is TO enforce law are often
as lax and good natured as anybody else.
The American never took well 10 discipline.
In Colonial times as soldier he was restiVe
under orders and likely to do as he pleased
about coming and going regardless of regula-
tiOns. The frOntierSman's blood is still in the
veins OF our native stock. and the foreign ele-
ments coming from countries where laws are
strict easily learn contempt for law which IS
not strict. Nor does their lawlessness stop at
the indulgence Of a moderate well meaning
carelessness. Ii is carried to whatever point
their passions impel. and certain part of the
population seem TO think Il is one of their rights
in free America 10 riot and murder as they have
been doing i'm the coal fields. Native Ameri-
cans cannot wonder at it. They set the exam
pie. The lynchers of the South are largely pure
American stock. As Miss Adams suggests the
educated and intelligent citizens feel the Obiga-
ton to obey law. because it is law. as little as
the ignorant. The people who in this city oh
ject to policy of rigid law enforcement count
themselves good citizens. There has been much
discussion about the enforcement of the excise
law here, but scarcely a person among those
who have clamOred for exceptional strictness in
ferreting out viOlatOrs Of this law would fail
TO rebel against strict enforcement of the laws
which more closely touched his own CON
duct Suppose every good man who spits in
violation Of law We're arrested. and every
woman who violates the sanitary code in her
housekeeping, and every merchant who illegally
obstructs sidewalks, and every builder who
sends his steel beams changing through the
streets! The whole city would be wild with
clamOr against oppressive and tyrannlcal Off
Gals Yet we all want these laws enforced
against somebody else when his offences an
noy us.
III as a nation We are ever going 20 cure
whatever is the matter with us we certainly
must, along with Chicago. acquire more re-
spect for the law. Lawlessness IS an al.
most universal disease IN city and coun-
ny and there is a disposition 10 resent the
conduct of officials who are really active for
enforcement. The schools fail to teach sniff
cient reverence for law, and the homes fail to
inculcate II. We are in the main a peaceful
wei meaning well conducted people. but We
certainly are not a law-abiding ppople