The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-05-17

I and Indifferent, whose wishes are
crystallized in what is called public
| sentiment.
| .tCrusades" against violators of un-
popular laws have always failed, says
| Toledo's Mayor. In proof of this he
cites as one historical example in the
United States the operations of the
underground railroad" before the
Civil War, by means of which and in
defiance of the fugitive slave law
| thousands of bondmen were struggled
from the South to Canada by anti
slavery workers, to whom principle
| formed higher law than mere statu-
! tory enactment.
| In his letter Mr.. Whitlock speaks
sadly of the women of the sire cts,
pointing out that the problem is as
old as humanity, as old as sin. "They
cannot be driven into the river" he
says, or put to death at least any
faster than society itself drives them
into the river and puts them to
/ death"
Gambling and Speculation.
AS to the prevalence of gambling,
| the Mayor says:
Gambling, which is just one ex-
| preston of the spirit Of speculation
| that is rife in our land, is not vice
| of those who live off the labor of 9TH
| ers, those who are engaged in produc-
tive toll. 1t is INDUCED in rather by
those who do not earn money, but
| merely gathc.' or appropriate, often
| by the subtle processes of the law, the
money that has been earned by 9TH
1 nv.e, No. ~ &c. fol- viz -
! of the idle.
! This spirit leads certain few to
i imagine that government is made for
| them and their personal interest, and
that it should give them the privilege
to exploit the labor of the many-to
take from them what they produce.
1t expresses itself in speculative OPP
erations in stocks and bonds, and in
grain and produce, just as it ex-
presses itself in the gambling that
goes on in the clubs, in private homes,
at the whist table, at the poker table
and on the Stock Exchange.
| SAIL of these forms Of gambling
| are abhorrent to me as they are to
you, and am trying as best can to
/ do away with them all by seeing to il
| that the law shall cease giving priv.
| leges to the few in the way of fran.
chises for street railways, gas com
| panies, electric light companies, ex.
! orbitant tariffs, exemptions and the
| like. These processes represent
| gambling on an immense and sinister
| scale, and are far more dangerous
than any other kind"
Attacks the Pharisce.
In closing his letter, Mr.. Whitloch
says:
What I am trying to make clear
| is that a statute cannot be fully en-.
forced in a community where the
public sentiment is opposed to it and
that where it is attempted to enforce
it there oftentimes results more evil
than good, more harm than benefit
and that all kinds of disorders and
difficulties are brought upon us by
that attempt. Law and order is a
fine phrase, beloved by the pharisee;
law and order indeed are loving sis.
tiers who present beautiful specta.
Gle of harmony, but statute and order
are not always synonymous, nor in
deed compatible. The law in any
community is the will of that com
munity, and according to my reason
and conscience and my principles
deem it my duty to be guided by the
will of the people whom I represent.
Members of the Church Federation
who signed the. communication tc
which the Mayors letter was a repl,
say they have learned much as to tht
history, theory and purposes of law.