The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-08-05
I MY BROTH
Frs KEEPER.
As Civilization Advances the An
swer Becomes Stronger and
More Emphatic-By the Rev.
ChaS. Stelzle.

2OI IL u C4NL4IE<i1AO44 - AAl1L
OF anarehy-each man for himself, with
no regard for the interests of the com
munity. The first question asked in
Scripture is this, Am l my brother 5
keeper!' As men have advanced in civ
ilization, the accent upon the answer
YES mas been stronger and more en-
/, phatic-
We sometimes speak of simple form
of government, but the simplest form of
word is law and who carries out his will
| regardless OF the wishes of the people;
and dcspotism may have its seat in an
Institution well in a man. 4 repub-
lean form of government, that is, 4 gov
eminent for the people and by the peo-
pie, is the most complex in its nature,
because not only must the interests of the
individual be considered, but the interests
OF the entire community. 1t quite nat
urally follows that the larger the mum
Der OF people concerned, the more diff
cult becomes the administration OF law
which shall be Just and fair 10 all men.
1t is much easier for six men to live to-
gether in harmony than it is for 600 men
to live in peace. AS the number of peo-
pie 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; that while under
ordinary circumstances it mi ht be pos
sble for man to exercise his freedom
as much he chooses, there always arise
PEELED TO forego certain privileges be-
cause the exercise of these might work
an injury to his neighbors. Thus, accord
ing TO law, an individual man may not
do as he pleases, even with his own prop
crty. For instance, he may not burn down
his own house, because the burning of
that property may Set fire to the prop
erty of his next door neighbor. In Ger
tain States a man may not sell cigarettes,
because the selling of cigarettes, ii is be-
lieved, will work an injury to certain
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 pro-
vision for his family. And 4 man may
not do with his own children as he pleas
cs. He must send them to the public
school in order to acquire the education
which our present-day civilization de-
mands of its citizens.
But illustrations of this sort may be
endlessly quoted. The point is, that men
are constantly being restricted in their
liberties as civilization advances, for the
good of the community at large. When
ever an institution, customer or a bust
ness enterprise becomes a menace to So
ciety the law provides that il shall be
discontinued. or rigidly restricted that,
its chances for doing harm will be reduc.
ed to the minimum. And the public has
a perfect right to determine to wheth-
er or not an institution-as the saloon. for
instance-shall be permitted to operate
without any restriction, or whether it
shall be compelled to pay License
which, by the way, is in the nature of a
restriction or penaltv-or whether the
saloon shall be wiped out altogether.
The matter of localoption is simply
an application to the saloon business of
the principle of the referendum. for
which organized labor has been so long
contending Whether or not, in certain
communities, the people had an opportu-
nifty of freely expressing their will is
not the question at issue just now. 1t is
the principle of whether or not the peo-
pie have the right to express that will if
they are given chance, and, having ex-
pressed il. the courts shall accept their
decision final. 1t must not be said
against organized labor that it stands
for the referendum only upon such ques-
lions as it is sure Will be decided upon
in its favor. Organized labor must be
willing to submit to the people every
question which concerns the welfare of
the community, and as loyal citizens-and
as loyal trades uuionists-they should
abide by the decision of the majority
when the question under consideration has
to do with the well being OF all the peo-
pie.
The whole matter Of the saloon. so far
as the average workin gnan is concerned.
has 10 do purely with personal indulgence
and the satisfaction of his appetite. It
should be no great hardship to him to
make the sacrifice which will bring joy
and happiness to millions of women and
children, 20 say nothing about the men
who on account Of weaker wills cannot
withstand the temptation of strong drink
10 the question, Am I my brother s
keeper organized labor can have but