Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-27

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nations. The Justice which alone meets
the needs OF problems such as arise In
our time and people. Is a justice which Is
comparable to tho scales in a chemical
laboratory which weigh the thousandth
| part of gramme--a fine discerning JUS
| tice-not subtle, not losing Itself IN frac-
| tional distinctions but always sensitive
always clcar-eyed, always true to the
shekol Of the sanctuary. But II is equally
! important that the sense of justice be
comprehensive-tha it take into Its view
all the interests involved in the question
before IT, spirit of right-dong. or right
judging, If it is narrow and one-sidcd is
liable TO Issue In gross wrong and meal
culable mischief and all the more SO in
| proportion as 1t is honest and intense
When surgeon sets about exclsing an
ulcer he takes into account all the rest
Of the body and secs to IT, so far as ne
| can that the healthy part does not suffer
from the operation. l suppose It will be
conceded that nine-tenths OF all the bust
ness done in the United states is honest
business. Including therein the work Of
the professions. in law, medicine, divinity
and literature. IF this is SO, surely It Is
bad policy and bad morals to do Justice
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TO punish most severely the nne-tenths
honest and honorable business The Jus
ticc which Furnishes. which destroys-is Of
course necessary, but 1t overvalues itself
is ovcrvalued-in comparison with the
Justice which protects. defends, relieves,
or lndemnines. Ordinary human
nature does not enjoy white assize It
wants to see punishments inflicted that Is
a Of of ba
parlance of old New England to Justify a
man was to punish him. In our time we
want at least one corporation indicted
and one condemned every day-aud u
seems to make no ma tier II all the In
nocent ones are punished also There is
abroad kind Of Hcrodian vengeance
against all Industrial agencies. AS the
surest way in King Herod's mind for
getting rid OF one dangerous child was to
kill all the children,-so IN order to pun
ish few corrupt corporations, let us
strange all corporate enterprises. In or
der to punish the modicum Of ill-gotten
and ill-used wealth, let us minimize all
wealth producing agencies, There is no
justice SO essentially unjust as an inds-
eliminating Justice. a Justice which with
eyes handaged smites. and sees not, and
am not dspara ging our courts OF jus
tice--thcy IN my judgment are our last
refuge from the ambition Of executives
and tho precipitancy Of legislatures, from
the tyranny Of mobs, and organizations.
am speaking Of tho iustice-or the In
justice-which finds expression in popu-
lar ver1cts, extra judicial Judgments. In
cendlarv harangues, and all that mass Of
yf,,it, No ,f,,
like the cry Of con 70 Richmond" are
pushing the public officials into attitudes
which are bordering on frenzy, and which
threaten TO demolsh and destroy some
Of rhe costly fabrics o, our civilization.
III And, r~ain, the pirogress which
moves on with the least possible destruc-
ton is actuated by good will and not by
ill-will. by love and not by hate. One of
the characteristics Of charity as described
by St Paul is that 1t rejoices not in
lnequity but rejo,ces in the truth. It
docs not gloat over the discovery Of
eoulness and wrong and evil, but delights
IN finding what is fair and wholesome
and good. There Is a psychologist truth
of large meaning involved in the phrase
"the will to believe" The real inward
ness of character is more revealed by
K expressly believes Indeed a man real
~ believes only what he Wills to believe
Note the way in which the same act
coming with the same evidence is receiv-
cd by different men. Is it some crime or
scandal? one man is loath To believe it
cannot believe twill not believe it-does
not believe II: another Is "a ger to believe
it-and believes II. It It some surprising
~ great and good action? "Incredible"
says one man. There is some sinister
some depreciat!ng fact or motive hidden
somewhere" The man OF another mind
says exutlngly. 1T IS Just the fine and
noble act which 7 expected from such a
man" Charity rejo!ces no in inquiry
hopeth and helieveth all good things
That was a beautiful word indicative Of
a beautiful spirit which the Greek poet
put into the mouth Of Antigore-"Mv
nature is TO love with those who love,
not to hate with those who hate" In this
avowal the Greek virgin anticipa ted the
spirit OF Jesus himself: II came not 10
destroy, hut to fulfill" His was not the
spirit which suspects and gets its great
est pleasure IN seeking out. evil and de-
stroylng II even when this needs 10 be
done. To hunt out the evil in human life
in human institutions-to destroy ito
excise ito topic II downfall NAV b. |
no u