Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-06

] liOlalJLNfsbE Nep.. Apfll so the Edit m.
Of The Bee: At its recent celebration the
Lincoln Bryan club adopted a resolution I'm
/ favor OF county option ana declared il TO
be in accord with the democratic principle
Of local autonomy The club thus seeks
to clothe the county option movement not
only with political Legitimacy, but also
with the sanction of the democratic party.
have here nothing to do with this latter
purpose, nor with its disrupting effects on
such party / am wholly concerned with
this principle Of political legitimacy for II
appeals to all fair minded citizens. and
as 1t determines for against such move
ment, so it should determine the course
Of every such citizen.
Then what is this principle? In what
way is the municipality related to IT,? And
does II pronounce for OF against such
movement? Its definition is difficult and
anyone desiring a fun explanation should
read the third lecture in Guizot's History
of Civilization" 1t does not mean priority.
but equality as between the various Gle
ments of modern society: It recognizes that
all such elements were present at the birth
OF our civilization and are therefore legit-
mate, that each has its own peculiar princi-
pies and autonomy by which IL serves
society. and that To the end OF true prog
ress all these must be protected. 70 these
peculiar principles it stands in generic or
parental relationship to personal liberty and
freedom Of thought which come from the
germanic or barbarian element to order
and collectvism which come from mon
archy and central government. to separa-
ton of temporal and spiritual power and
freedom OF conscience which come from
the church, and to autonomy democracy
a nd ,c
cities, or municipal system
These principles are not mere logical
formules, but realities in human life.
Political legitimacy is as much the vital
principles OF modern society as life itself
is such principle in the animate world.
and the particular principles referred to
bear the same relationship to the elements
thereof They are essentials in the
anatomy and physiology Of such society.
In their healthy state they present the
normal conditions Of such society and it's
elements and assure a healthy progress
in mutilated, crippled or diseased state
they present abnormal conditions and
retardation of progress Consciously or
unconsciously, they are appealed to in the
determination of every political movement
or proposed policy; political legitimacy
being relied on as a conclusive major
premis and some one or more of these
peculiar principles for the minor premis.
Society fourishes or sckens as the move
ment may comply with or violate such
principles. They are founded, not upon
force, or fraud or hate, but upon reason,
justice and truth
If by the light cf these principles we
honestly examine into the county option
movement, or any other form of prohi-
bition, we must find that it is wholly out
Of gear with them; that it produces a
diseased social condition. Take the broad
est most sautary of them all, that Of
personal liberty, a thing peculiar to modern
civilization and not found in any other. !
Every one must admit that prohibition IN !
vades and aborts this prnciple; it Is in
absolute conflict Herewith, and that it
has everywhere been a failure in the sense
of preventing the consumption OF liquors.
is due to the persistent strength of this |
principle. 1t is also out Of gear with the |
principles of order and collectivism. be-
cause the legitimate exercise of these is |
constructive instead of destructive and
regulatory rather than prohbitive. Prohi- |
btion does not have the potency of law
because it does not comply with this re- !
qurement; and the most vigorous agitation
and prosecution are everywhere attended !
by concealment, fraud and perjury and
sooner or later followed by open contempt |
But let us take separation of temporal !
and spiritual power another principle Pc |
culiar to our own civilization and the out !
growth of the church. Temporal power
has nothing to do with the private lives
of men, except insofar as one may so /.
abuse his own rights and liberties as to |
destroy or damage those of others; with |
such exceptions the whole subject of pri- !
yate life and morals is the province of
spiritual power
Prohibition is a direct violation of this !
principle of separation Spiritual power
teaches temperance as she does any other |
virtue, but prohibition seeks to unite tenn
poral and spiritual power and enforce tenn
persnce, and in it's very spirit it Is as
much gross public immortality as intol- !
erance has been in the past. Giddings !,
the socologist says:
I'VE have gotten beyond the attempts to |
control mems beliefs-that is, practically |
We have. Now We should go a good way |
further We should nave distinct recog- |
milton of the fact that the worst piece of .
immortality that a man can be guilty of is /
to attempt TO regulate another mans life, |
If that other man Is not interfering with |
him" The sooner We grow into this rec
ognition the sooner we will get rid of pro-
hibiton and its diseases.
Talk to the farmers in the movement,
retired farmers in the towns /
and cities and generally you will find /
them unreasonable and unjust; confront
them with the most undenable facts and .
they will either deny them or tell you .
that they do not care for facts; draw a .
between the rights OF the city 4
and those of the township. and while they !
are ready to defend tho latter against any /
interference, they are equally 4
ready to insist that they are interested .
in the city and should be allowed a say /
in its affairs; inquire into their motives /
and you may find them to consist of griev- ,
anCes respecting the prices given for
eggs, or wheat, or hogs or those asked .
for groceries, or lumber, or nails
In large measure the urban elements are .
church affiliants under an ecclesiastical /
leadership which gives to the movement