New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1910-03-16

hing but what otherwise he would feel
ike doing. Yet, most people still
have, or seem to have, confidence IN
the efficacy Of compulsory methods.
It is known that horse or dog is
best treated with kindness and that
neither is much good when taught to L
be afraid When afeared he acts
constraintly and his spirit being
broken, never does as well as when
entering into activities impelled by
his normal impulse. And the acts we
see thus engendered. are OF the finest.
A horse or dog that is 'sbroken" in
the crude and fallacious way, is never
as good, nor ever can be relied upon
to do as we'll as the one which is not I
swayed by fear. Either animal is
anxious to please and get approval,
and such certainly is the case in the
human animal, I believe. Experience
proves all this. All those who are
not blinded by some co-ercive process,
or who are not enamoured with a
cherished illusion may see this. M any
who are thus mistaken, will admit the
case when illustrated to them with
dog, say they fail to see it applicable
with their brother. I believe that man
is just as fine an animal as a dog, and
quite as amenable to kind treatment.
We hear much about 'sfaith.'' But
little we see of faith in each other.
Every s:reformer," be be prohibit
zionist or preacher, is convinced that
others need 'sreforma tion.' Thinks
them base and vile. Has no faith in
them. Very sure he is, too. that he
can be made better by some form of
compulsion. And always works along
those lines. Had he faith and trusted
the inherent decency Of his brother, he
could not possibly be a ''reformer' .
He merely has faith in the efficacy of
the. ''law'' and the policeman's club.
Always relies on that, no matter what
he claims. [ do not question his
sincerity. Believe that nearly all
self-appointed guardians of CLAW and
order' are honest and that they truly
believe they are doing a salutary
thing for humanity. But l also think
that they are Enthusiastically mistaken,
for results we have been getting go
far to prove my assertion. While on
the other hand, every trial of absolute
faith in man and conduct in harmony
with such trust, has succeeded. The
results I have personally seen, have
gone far to confirm in me the belief
that man may safely be trusted, and
when so believed in, will do only the
most brotherly acts. Some day this
will become more apparent, and then
we will live more in harmony and the
strife now rampant will be memory
only.
AS it is, we have contests and per-
scribe and prescribe what we may
properly and legally do, Or what our
brothers are to be allowed doing.
And this faith in such dictatorial
ways is destined long yet to continue.
But the light is dawning and small
and faint indications may be seen that
progress and Improvement is coming.
1t is bound to come, and in spite.of all
attempts to retard same. The fneness
that is part of man, is bound to
function. It cannot fully be sup
pressed.
So these annual farces of regulating
the conduct of one another will con-
tinue for some time yet, and is an
amusing spectacle for the discerning.
And even these absurd things are not
without their uses. Prehibitionists
call attention to the fact that there is
something that is not as it best be,
and SO we will finally stumble upon a
way to bring about more rational
ways of living, and find that co .ercive
methods are not the way to remedy
anything. But, as it is, there are so
many men now who profit financially
by present artificial methods that the
continuance of same will be strenuous
ly defended. The jobs of lawyer,
politician, policemen and preacher
depends upon the existing modes of
government, and none of these will
easily or soon advocate that he be
deprived of so easy a way of making
livlyhood. And I don't blame them
even, for, few, if any, but what are so
biased in favor Of their job, that they
can see better way.
1t is remarkable how strong is, and
how long persists the belief in the
futile methods we are and have been
following. Remedies and methods of
many kinds will continue to be tried,
all of them failing until we arrive at
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