The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-07-09

TUE WNt rtltIt aNtW1t. buN "aA1s
This is Democratic country.
which means that All men are equal
before the law-eqhal in rights, equal
In responsibilities. Our entire system
OF social organization Is based on the
assumption that al men respect the
larS and being free are YET subject to
It's There is no euch thing as freedom
from law freedom consists .ip.-voiun.
tass subsection to IaRIF Respect for
lay. does rot mean merely obedience
thereso when II can not be broken with
impunlty; It means more than tbat.
Il means observance fp theasnaritS as
. in the letter, II means determination
that observance shall be general It
moons recognition Of law IS the es-
sence Of liberty itself Thus obedi-
enoe 30 the law is the citizens ffst
duty to the state--tIie first duty OF
patriotism Many people ''are apttto
forget that patrioism-like fbarits--
begins at homt Law1tssness may ytbe
open or q may be 4iisglllsedf The
frightful Iynchings at Wilmington and
elsewhere are open lawlessness---open
assaults on liberty iiselts sdmitting$of
no disguise. no extenuation.-Al think
!, ing men can see whittier such things
lead. The negroes in 1e south might
say with truth Hodie mihi-cras tibi
sit is ,oiir turn today, tomorrow
yours no ore could deny them.
The spirit that lynches a negro soday
win lynch white man tomorrow;
rape or murder are the excuse today,
tomorrow any excuse will serve. The
law swept from it's foundations in one
thing is adrift in all. But 81 is not
open lawlessness that is always the
worst for at least It can be said OF It
that 1t is recognized and condemned
by the majority Of men in their cool
judgment. The lawiesBness Of corrup-
ton is more -destrpctixs, hrs, because
It Is nlorescr lees hfdaph second, be-
cause = Is widespread ana third. be
cause itis apparently IN no wise re-
pugnant 70 the moral ssnse.o OF a large
section of the comm16ity What is
needed in this country is a strong
public opinion which will &ssent as.
sault on liberty by bribery as quickly
as it viii resent assault by force, and
which will look upon the briber as
upon a thief-waether 1t be the mis-
cradle bawl paying toll to the ward
man, or the corporation president Cor
counseD paying blackmail 10 an al
derman. assemblyman, congressman,
or United States senator. The yellow
journals talk OF predatory wealth as
a danger to. the community There is
no danger to the.people in wealth save
through corruption. Weheed no laws
designed to hinder the making OF
money, and laws alone will never stop
oorruptlon There will always be
some whose morals are for sale, and
others to purchase them. But until
the community shall haYe degplqpedsa
moral sense on the sAl1ectl N eFrup-
tion in politics, business and inance,
which will make it impossible fsr
brdber OF bribed to associate with
decent people in public or private life,
the liberties Of individuals will not
be entirely saft, for justice will not
always be accessible"
This is very fosesssfksl presentation
of the whole qussfinn. The law
should be- magnihed 81. every point.
IIt win never bs rigidIS Implied as long
as it Is so Often made By means and
for purposes that are deemed highly
questionable. Let it b@come general
" known. OF even suspected, that an
Ordinance of city council. an act of
"a legislature, or even an act Of con-
gress has been proclhed byaquestiou-
able means or methods. or 6or a sec
tional or selfish Object andssuch law
viii never be magnifed. accepted or
regarded by the people. The pstri-
otlc purpose to observe the lag 10
abide blythe law. must begin in 1eeis-
lative halls and must run through and
through ali the WORK fiiAf is done
therein. H. is time to begin 10 preach
patriotism to the people. It is time
to preach patriotism that hfgins
with,a hearty devotion TO all the laws,
a patriotism that goes all the way
around. s~ ~ ~