The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-13
WEDNESDAY. JULY 10, 1910.
GoyEnNMENr WITHOUT LAW.


BROOKLYN wrote hin, a letter protesting
in behalf of the Reform Bureau OF
this State (New York; and as a@citizen
of this city (Brooklyn) against the eN-
hibtion in the moving picture shows
of this city (New York; of the repro
duction of the Jeffries- johnson prize
fight" I'VE believe said Mr. Miller,
..the exhibition of such pictures in
the moving picture shows will be de-
moraliz.ng and brutalizing to all who
look upon them, and that they will |
have distinct tendency to reduce the /
moral tone of our city" In hastily |
prepared leafiet, which he enclosed in
his letter TO the Mayor, Mr.. Miller set
forth some of the reasons why we !
think those pictures should not be al.
lowed to be exhibited in any moving
picture shows in our country. / am glad
to see" Mr.. Miller concluded. that
the Mayors of many cities all over the
tcountry have already ordered that
those pictures shall not be exhibited
Hoping that you may do likewise am
very Truly yours, etC cue.
Mr.. Miller was truly yours for a
fact, as his letter afforded Mayor Gay
nor the opportunity OF stripping the
feathers from him and all other re-
formers of like.i!k who vex the coun-
try from time to time with their pleas
for doing. things which the law pre-
vents the officers of the law from do
ing, or which the law does not author
ize them to do. The Mayors letter
applies TO SO many extra-legal RENE
dies which lawless minded men in au-
thority have invoked in the recent past
that it is worth printing for this rea-
son. as follows:
Dear Sir--I thank you for your
favor of July 6. if 1t lay in my power
to say whether the pictures should be
exhibited it would not take me long
to decide it, l do not see how II can
do any one any good 10 look at them.
But will you be so good as to remem-
Der that ours is government of laws
and not of men. Will you please get
that we'll into your head l am not
able to do as like Mayor. / must
take the law just as 1t is, and you
may be absolutely certain that l shall
not take the law into my own hands
You say you are glad to see that
the Mayors of many cities have or
dered' that these pictures shall not be
exhibited. Indeed Who set them up
as autocrats? If there be some valid
law giving any Mayor such power,
then he can exercise II, otherwise not.
q The growing exercise OF arbitrary
power in this country by those put in
office would be far more dangerous and
is far more to be dreaded than cer-
tain other vices that we all wish to
minimize or be rid OF. People little
know what they are doing when they
try to encourage officials to resort to
arbitrary power Very truly yours,
''W. j. GAYNOR, Mayor
The prize-feht -was brutal affair
There appears to be general agree
ment on that point. The law did not
forbid it. however. and it took place
An the presence of the Governor Of
Nevada and strong force of the peace
officers of that State. 1t would have
been unlawful If 1t had been fought in
any other State. we believe but in
Nevada 1t was permitted by law and
sanctioned by the highest authorities
of that State. 1t was not more dan
gerous to the life and limbs OF the
two men taking part in it than is q
football game between the athletes of
the colleges of the country; In the
opinion of David Starr Jordan, the
game of football is equally dangerous
II not equally brutal. That Is not the
point emphasized by Mayor Gaynor
however, who would doubtless make q
very efficient half-back or quarter,
back or whole-back himself, and who
is first rate, as his letter to the Rev
Mr. Miller shows. in a centre rush
# Hear him for his cause. the cause Of
q every sane and law abiding man II
the country. and be silent that yor
may hear. THE growing exercise Of
arbitrary power in this country bs
those put in office would be far moro
& dangerous and is far more to BIZ
dreaded than certain other vices thai
we all wish to minimize or be rid of
4 People little know what they are do.
ing when they try to encourage OIL
Gals to resort TO arbitrary power"
Altogether apart from the occaso,
sst WHICH Drought II ouA, Luis tlInSIy pro
test from the Mayor OF the creates
city in the country should illuminat,
the whole heavens. This is a govern
1nent OF law. and II II is to be SAT,
government Its administrators must b
governed by law. There is no othe
course for them to take; there is n
safety for the people, no security 70
our institutions except as officers o
the law obey the mandates of the Law
The utterly vicious principle whc
was recently announced by no less
person than the Rev. Or, Lyman Alb
y bolt that Whatever is not actually for
bidden TO the President of the Unite
States is permitted.
# That was the view Of William /
Seward when he declared that "ther
lisa higher law than the Constitution.
5a That was theAguidins impulse of NJ
8 Roosevelt when ne took advantage, a
4 lit suited his purpose, Of every oper
ling not expressly guarded against hin
~