The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1910-12-23
ARE WE FREE PEOPLE7
CENTRALIZED POWER AN EN-.
CRoACHMENT ON LIBERTY.

While We Are Guaranteeing Liberty
Of Other Peoples, Why Not Guar
antee Our own-Hops
In Democracy.
At the isthmus President Taft as.
sured the inhabitants Of Panama that
the United States would guarantee
their liberties. He spoke for the
American people as well as for their
government. While We are thus guar.
anteeing freedom to others, how is 1T
with ourselves? Are we as free today
rs We were fifty years ago?
So far as legislation Is concerned,
negro slavery. the greatest of modern
wrongs, was abolished by a three-line
addition to the constitution. Like the
white people, the blacks were freer
when that amendment was adopted In
1856 than they have ever been since.
Excessive lawmaking. especially ex-
oessive ~lawmaking at Washington,
where centralized power is always
eager for new %conQuests and nearly
cannot fail to encroach upon true lib
erty. Democracy and Imperialism will
not mix.
One Of the surest tests Of wise law
making is its effectiveness. Judged by
this standard w accomplish little. By
one legislative act, probably uncalled
for In the first place, we make neces-
Bary many other acts, and finally
whole sections, interests and classes
become conscious of interference and
perhaps Of oppression.
To create new offenses In morals,
Industry and commerce that are diff
cult Of proof and then by vexatious
and costly espionage to add greatly to
odicial power and expense is a favor
ern too much. To establish selflshly
m injustice or an inequality Of some
hind, like the extortionate tariff. and
then attempt by additional laws to
sure the worst of its corrupt NANTES
tations Is another. To increase ex
penditures SO that many new forms
Of taxation must be resorted to is still
another. Every tax that is wasteful
abridges popular rights in more ways
than one.
The daring operations of a few great
offenders have brought down upon the
country laws, regulations. spies, in
Quisitors, commissions, prosecutors
and tax-devourers that burden the in
dustry and restrict the freedom of mil
lions Of honest men. Instead of aiming
straight at guilt, extortion ant
wrong, government in most Ease!
avoids them and with new laws pun
lshes the innocent everywhere. Thu
policy has been not to penalize Grim,
but to penalize American freedom
American citizenship, American enter
> prise.
We have the protected trusts which
light competition and tax reduction
!, the protected express companies
which fight the parcels post; the sen
ators Of privilege who fight popula
elections; the plutocratic interest
; which fight the income tax; the jim
> goes and the dollar diplomats who ar
opposed to peace; the labor leader
! who fight the courts and freedom o
contract; the SSbbatarians who fgh
! rational Sunday, and the prohibition
lists who fight oven the sacramento
use of wine. 1t Is reasonable human
: liberty that every one of these inter
ssts assails.
: While we are guaranteeing the LII
! srty Of other peoples. why should w
> not guarantee our own? In the ma
! ter of morals, in the matter Of harm
! less amusements and customs, in tn
matter OF business and industry. Il
The matter of food and drink, in tn
matter Of free speech. in the matter Q
, free press, in the matter of free Ia
e Dor, in the matter Of the human RICH
, 10 enjoy without vicious restriction
The proceeds of honest toll, and in tn
, natter Of the natural right to b
D Ihielded by society or government
hom the blighting effects of favorit
t SIN, combinations, conspiracies an
nonopolies, we are not gaining groun
Tor liberty. We are losing it.