The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-10
~nE mrsrzsorA FREAK.

In paper IN any form. or called by any
name. 1t is one of the strings of
sumptuary laws which are being enact
ed all over the country by mistaken
statesmen who think the law can cure
all evils.
Cigarette smoking" observes The
Charleston News and Courier. is a
bad thing. So is drinking to excess.
SO is too much sleep. Some great mil
lionaires have died from over-eating.
Minnesota Is near Indiana and should
have learned the lesson. 1t hae been
against the law for some time in the
latter State to sell cigarettes. but no.
body seems to mind 1t. 1t is. or was.
against the law in Tennessee. No
body seemed to care. A stranger had
no trouble in getting cigarette papers
or cigarettes. The law was a farce
in Tennessee. a joke In Indiana. and so
will 1t be in Minnesota. Men will still
smoke cigarettes and as many rs they
wish.
why will men continue to disre-
gard experience? Sumptuary laws
have been tried ever since man form
ed social connections. and never yet
have they succeeded. At least we
do not know of any time or place
where they succeeded. In Cromwelrs
time they swamped the Republic. Even
| Augustus Caesar failed utterly with
all of his autocratic power. Not even
in the case of his own child unless
he first persuade that child OF the NOR
al wrong he is doing. Certain prob
lens can only be solved by education.
They cannot be Bnlyed BY Prohibition"
1t is an idle question, perhaps. to
ask why legislators will continue to
pass such laws. for no one can give
a satisfactory reply to the question.
We have charity enough to believe
that some of those who make the laws
do not know any better. They de-
eide IN their own minds that q GER
tain thing is wrong. or that q certain
habit or practice Is hurtful. and at
once come to the conclusion that Ii Is
their duty to put an end to 1t. Then.
as they seem to think that the law
can accomplish all things. they
straightway introduce bill to correct
what may seem an evil to them, and
in most cases of late days they can
get any law enacted they want.
But 1t would be q wide mistake to
charge all this frsakish or useless leg
islation to ignorance. The men in leg
islative bodies who commit such blum
ders through sheer ignorance could not
pass such laws without assistance from
those who ought to know better. and
in majority Of cases do know het-
ter. These are the men who have per-
sonal ends to, serve. or personal in
terests to advance. They conceive
that a certain measure Is popular and
that their support of it will help them
to get ONCE, or perhaps benefit them
In a business way: therefore they sup
port the efforts of those who blunder
only through want of knowledge and
help enact laws which we cannot he
lieve they consider right. or suscep-
tible of enforcement. Then there are
some easy-going men who will vote
for anything another member asks
and still others whose motto is. You
vote for my bill and I'll vote for
| yours" Between all these classes the
statute books are loaded with laws
| that cannot be enforced. that are Of no
possible good, and that are worse than
useless.
1t seems strange. as our Charleston
contemporary reasons, that experience
IKE to cali themselves II they would
take the trouble to study history
ancient and modern. they could learn
that drastic legislation almost inva-
riably defeats its own purposes, and
that legislation of strictly sumptu-
airy or paternalistic nature Is general
ly worse than useless. Laws which
are not respected. for which there is
little popular feeling but one of con-
tempt, are detrimental to a State. be-
cause they naturally lead people to
feel contempt for all law.
1t is perhaps idle to expect anything
better for time. There is a wave of
what some please to call reform" that
is sweeping over the country and san
ity. reason. tolerance and love of Jus
tice must bow before IT and let It
run its course. convinced that a time
will come when reason will once mora
rule the country. At present each Leg
islative body seems dominated by one
| ambition, and that is to go beyond the
Legislature of any other State in the
work of making people good. Sound
argument and legitimate opposition to
unsound legislation have little effect.
and only time can bring relief. How
| long that may be delayed would be diff
hcult to predict. but in the meantime
many of the States are not only max
ing themselves ridiculous In the es-