The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-12-19

Dotus 'HefHdQS the WORST OF all is
that the general regard and rever-
ence for law are impaired, conse-,
quence the mischief of; which can
scarcely be estimated. s%$5,Fs T.
IT., at the expense OF all these evils,
the reformation sought by the law
were really and fully effected, the
benefit would not be worth the price
paid for it, but it generally turns
out in the end that the legislation is
wholly ineffective and that the con-
demned practices, though -successful
bribery and by various devices, are
carried: on much to the same extent
as before the enactment Of. the law.
Failure of Prohibition.
What spectacle is %%thusS afforded
of the importance of mans conscious
effort to overrule the silent and ir-
ressistible forces of nature. The OBJ
Ejact thesElaWmaker seekssta.gain by
this Legislation .isfto doH aWay :sW1th b,
or greatly diminish, the indulgence
in intoxicating drinks, for, although
the sale only is prohibited the real
thing sought and expected is the pr re-
vention Of the use. He wholly fails
to gain the object in view; but OBJ
jects not in view, and by no means
desired, are brought about on. the
largest scale: vast and useless ex-
penditure, perjury and subornation
of perjury, violation of Jurors oaths,
corrupt bribery Of public officers, the
local elections turned into scramble
for the possession Of the offices con-
trolling the public machinery for the
punishment of offences, in order that
the machinery may be bought and
sold for a price; law and it's admin
istration brought into public con-
tempt, and many men otherwise
esteemed as good citizens made in
sensible to the: turpitude Of perjury,
bribery, and corruption; animosity
created between different bodies of
citizens, rendering them incapable Of
acting together for confessed4y good
objects.
The questions may be asked almost
Indignantly, whether society must en-
dure the open maintenance of places
where men are tempted to ruin them
selves and their families by in
diligence in drink and are led into
the commission of the worst of
crimes; whether gambling and vice
must be permitted to go unrestrain-
ed; whether children are to be al
lowed to grow up in ignorance and
idleness and become mischievous
members of society; in short, whether
society must content itself with
waiting until mischievous practices
ripen into manifest crime before it
enforces is discipline, and refrain
from all attempts to prevent the
operation of causes known to be fruit
full in the crimes ii must eventually
punish? It may not be easy to give
answers to such questions satisfactory
to all, and the tasks Of legislation are
often undoubtedly difficult. 80
The True Remedy. : -.'
Any detailed consideration of them
Is beyond my present purpose, which
Is only to indicate the general nature
and function: Of criminal legislation
and the general limits within which
1t should be confined; but do not
hesitate to say that any legislation
which bears the characteristics of
tyranny, as I have defined that term,
is vicious in theory and has never vet
ouCSSSucus duu AcVcI Will succeed, III
gaining it's avowed end, or in having
any other than an injurious effect;
and I venture to add that IL the zeal
and labor which have been, employed
by what are called the better classes
of society in. efforts to enact and
enforce laws repressive Of liberty, had
been expended in kindly and sympa-.
thetic efforts to change ana elevate
the thoughts and desires ol sxose less
fortunate than themselves, a benefit
! would have been reaped In the di-
minution Of misery and crime which
compulsory laws could never accomp-
lish. Moral ends can never be gained
except by moral means. All the ad-
vances in civilization ana K morality
which society has thus Tar made are
due to the II cultivation and develop
ment OF those moral sympathies which
find their activity Al co operation and
mutual aid, z55 \
ls Because of 1t hishI Sfirs test, whale soil
bert Tor tim metal. % %