The labor world., 1909-08-14

Interests of the Individual Must
.Subserve Those Of the En- "
- tire Community. 81
Individuals Must Forego the Elk
ercise Of Privileges Injurious
- : TO Their Neighbors. #
.Ry REV: CHARLES sTELzLE.

:SyV3SN3e0 0ue661es 4
The, crudest form Of civilization is
that Of anarchy; each man for him.
self, with. no regard for the interests
Of the community. The first question
asked in, Scripture is this: Am I
my, brothers keeper?"', AS men have
advanced in civilization, the accent
upon theanswer. "Yes!", has, been
stronger and more emphatic. :.
Governments Defined. ~ ?
We sometimes speak Of simple
form Of government, but the simplest
form Of government, is that Of the
despot whose word Is law and who
carries out his will regardless of the
wishes Of the people; and despotisn.
may have it's seat In an Institution as
we'll as in a man. A republican form
of government, that is, a government
for the people and by the people, is the
most complex in it's nature, because
not only must the interests OF the
individual be considered, but the in,
terests of the entire community. It
quite naturally follows that the larger
the number Of people concerned, the:
more difficult. becomes the adminis-
trat1on of law which shall be just ana
fair to all men. It is mudh easier for
six men to live together in harmony
than it is for six hundred men to live
in peace. AS the number Of people in
the community increases, and as the
number. of interests to be considered
grows larger, the greater must become
the: restrictions which shall be placed
upon each individual; so that while
under ordinary circumstances it might
be possible for man to exercise his
freedom as much as he chooses, there
always arise circumstances under
which man is compelled to forego
certain privileges because the exercise
OF these might work an injury to his
ne1ehbors. Thus, according to law, an
Individual may not do as he pleases
even with his own property. For in
stance, he may not burn down his own
house, because the burning of that
property may set fire to the property
Of his next-door neighbor. In certain
states man may not sell cigarettes,
because the selling of cigarettes it is
believed will work an injury to cerain
classes Of citizens particularly to
young boys in the community. The
law provides that a man may not
spend his money as he chooses until
after he has made a provision for his
family. And a. man may not do with
his own children as he pleases. He
must send them to the public school
In order to acquire the education which
our, present day civilization demands
f. its citizens .,.. IL, - T.:
Restrictips On Liberty. ~: \.
P1,% :
endl esslyo quoted The. point IT'S that
men are constantly being restricted lin
their liberties as civilization advances.
for the good of the community at large
Whenever an institution, a custom or
business enterprise becomes men
ace to society, the law provides that
| Isshall be discontinued, or so. rieidly
! restricted that its chances for doing
harm will be, reduced to the minimum.
And the public has a aperfect right to
determ1ne as to whether or not an in
st1tution-as the saloon, for instance
shall be permitted to operate without
any restriction, or whether it shall be
compelled to pay a license, which, by
the way, is in the nature of a restric-
ton or penalty; or whether the saloon
shall be wiped out altogether.
Will Of the People.
The matter of local option is simplv
an application to the saloon business
OF the principle Of the referendum, for
which organized labor has been so long
contend1ng. Whether or not, in certain
communities, the people had an oppor-
tunitys of freely expressing their will.
Is NOT the question at issue Just now.
1t is he principle Of whether or not
tne people have the right to express
that will If they are given the chance
and: having exnressed it. the courts
snail accept their decision as final. It
must not be said against organized
LABOR that it stands for the referendum
only upon such questions as it is sure
Will be decided upon in its favor. Or
ganlzed labor must be willing to sub
nit to the people every question which
concerns the welfare. OF he community
and as loyal citizens, and as loyal
trades unionists, they should abide bv
the decision of the majority. when the
question under consideration has to 10
with the well-being Of all the peoule
Ine whole matter Of the saloon, so
1ar as the average ~workingman is con-
cerned, has to do purely with personal
indulgence and the satisfaction Of his
appetite. It should be no great hard
ship to him to make the sacrifica
"nreh Will bring JOY and happiness to
snlni1ons ! fl OF women and children Ito say
nothing about the men who, on account
|. OF weaker wills, cannot withstand: The
isfemptation Of strong drink. Z, <
sss:i. sss:sisTo the question: r "Am my BROTH
/ ers keeper" T organized labor can have
but one answer 81 sy ~ i. : = :,
j$}a w ~. .:.z s. q !. I Sa,t -. -. II