Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-18
LAW AND LIBERTY.

In an address before the Nineteenth
Century Club, Recorder Goff Of New
York, while expressing HIS strong OPP
position 10 anarchy" which was the
subject Of his remarks, took occasion
TO desoani upon the luxury and wealth
Of the few, and The poverty and prIva-
ton Of the many, drawing some COM
PARSONS between conditions In the
United states nj present and those ex-
listing In France just previous to the
revolution. We think his attempt to
draw parallel between them was con-
sder0bly strained But touching on
the question Of Legislation for the rep
reasion Of anarchy he said there was
great danger Of going to an unwise
extreme, He argued
you cannot eXtlrpate ideas BY leg
isatlOn. Laws never made men and
women yrtuOus DO not cndeag0r 20
repress an idea. II the idea Is right
II viii triumph. and the repressive
methods VII prove only 80 much fuel
20 feed the flames when wrong, Ideas
die OF themselves In dealing with
anarchy let W remember that II our
government Is founded on righteousness.
then anarchy IL craze and this craze
Will pass as other crazes have In the
worlds history"
There Is much truth In these ex-
prosslons Of the speaker, But there IS
another side to the question introduced.
Right Ideas viii, doubtless, eventually
triumph and wrong ideas viii az sonte
time be banlshed, But there is natural
ly conflict between them while they
are entertained, and the trouble that
arises In consequence Is when wrong
ideas are put into practice Mere be-
lief In any theory II Of itself harmless,
no matter how erroneous, excepting the
harm II does TO the mind that enter
tains IL. for error even in belief only
has deleterious effects But society
need not take represslye measures by
legislation against any doctrine or idea,
against peace and good order There Is
the line that has been drawn by the
highest judicial body In the United
states.
II is true that you cannot make men
and women ylrtuous simply by leglsa-
tlon. An effect must be produced upon
the heart as well as upon the brain Of
human beings 10 influence them 70
righteous conduct Yet laws are neces-
aary for the repression of crime and for
the protection OF the weak against the
unrlghteous strong, Such laws too, are
object lessons In themselves, and aid in
the education OF the citizen particular
" so when they are evidently founded
on justice and righteousness
Legislation against freedom OF
thought and belief is opposed TO the
spirit of our national institutions.
Liberty Of speech is guaranteed by the
Constitution, and that includes the lib
erty OF the press, but this Is rightly
extended only to certain limits Any
thing spoken or published which Is re-
ally injurious 70 the citizen or to the
State, to the extent Of interfering with
life, liberty or property, may be legis-
lated against without violence TO our
system Of government Criminal CON
duct is rightly under the dominion Of
the law. Language that Incites direct
ly to the commission OF attacks upon
person or property should come within
the puryieu OF legislation,
There Is danger, however, as Record
er Cor has lntlmated, OF overstepping
the bounds of rIghtful law and en-
croaching upon the domain OF liberty.
Therefore, In the ondeavor to suppress
anarchy, great care should be taken
TO preserve those lnalienable rights
that must be preserved at any cost. IL
assassination, however, is rightly pun
ishable to the fullest extent, conspir-
acy to commit the crime and direct
indictments to It's commission, should
be included In the same category. Per
sons who engage In such endeavors are
really accessories TO the offense. Gov
ernments may and ought to take mea-
sures FOR the eXtIrpaton Of criminals
guilty Of such practices,
There should be the utmost freedom
accorded TO all people IN this country.
to entertain and express their personal |
Views on all subjects proper TO men
tlon in public Everything that affects
the welfare OF mankind in this world,
or Is believed TO have a bearing on ex-
istence In the hfe to come, ought to
be permitted in fair discussion without
any limitation from the law, except |
where rights OF individuals or OF So
ciety are Invaded. 1t would be wrong |
and injurious TO make laws which |
would in any way infringe upon this
essential liberty,
Rational human beings ought TO be-
willing that their fellows shall dissent
from their ideas on religion, politics,
business. science, art, philosophy or
any other subject so long AS they DO |
not attempt to personally .njure the
person or property OF othero. There |
should be no anger at those who do
not see as we DO, FOR we do not see as
they do, and one has as much right to |
wrath as the other because Of the diff
ference. Everybody should be free
to try and convert others to his opln-
ions, II the effort Is made lawfully,
The days Of punishment for opinions