New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-27
SEES DISREGARD FOR LAW
The Rev. Percy Stickney Grant
Discusses Remedies.
ATTITUDE OF WORKINGMAN
Says Laboring Glass Control
Would Be as One Sided as
Capitalistic Rule.

" the current number Of The North
AMERICAN Review the Rev. Percy Suckney
Grant. rector Of the Church of the Ascen-
sion. has an article entitled How TO Fut
poon,e Behind the Law" He writes that
TO-DAY the workiugman is dissatisfied with
che law. that he calls the government a
,lutocracy. an olgarchy. and a government
nv Injunction. and he SAYS he sees other
changes I'm the aspect toward law, which
formerly was held i'm rock-lik reverence.
lie quotes the National Education Associa-
ton as saying disregard for law IS fast
becoming an American characteristic and
President Taft as referring 10 tighter re-
gard for law and its enforcement in Amer
ics as compared with England" lie also
saws that President Hadley of Yale urges
as cure for the alleged present low stand
ard Of morality higher reverence Tor the
law. The clergyman writes
This is new condition Of things IN
America. cSpeCially this bitter, working
class feeling against the law-unless We
compare Il 10 the antagonism eNlnced nN
the abolitionSts toward the slave laws III
tho years before the Civil War The work
ing people to-day I'm America are nol ne
hind the laws. they 90 not regard them as
their laws. but as the laws or hoSule IN.
terests" II follows naturally tnat tncg
counts That is the meaning OF their De,
uand for the initiative. the referendum ana
the recall (even Of Judges. THESE new IN
struucnts they hope VIII rescue tor then
thair lost share OF political power; Will res
urrect representative government ana re-
irState justice
Mr. Grant SAYS that the dissatisfaction
Of the working classes is not mob spirit,
suarchistic revolt nor tho prejudice OF
crmipals. but that plenty Of it represents
the sentiment Of progressive citizens.
co., recent incident would have been con-
ssdored as an omen of dire portent In the
time Of tho C,rsars,' he says. The scales
az the Goddess Of Justice Oh the city Han
Of the metropolis Of America fell from her
hands and were broken.
Later I'm his article he says.
WHY cannot the present without AFRO
csore claim 10 he self-suhicient i'm knovl-
Sdoa and conduct? The tendency TO eN-
main every advance i'm moral position ny
isferenee to the past has been commented
upcu 10y Sir Henry Maine as "a curloslIS
- b,,o5r nature" But We have now en-
tired 1non "a new era whose characteristic
ie tbat /, will honor the present. The Hule
Of Reason as applied IN lurlS apG ruuI"t ~
arguments only TO be discovered IN the
h~0ldcsi prospective advantages common
70 mankind.
Ausv ering the questions How can the
,,o,lo be nut behind the law" and What
rcmedv can We apply 10 the increasing hos
nifty between classes i'm our republic? Mr..
Gran. recommends as simple and partial
remedies better popular education IN the
law through classes. the high schools ana
also po-haps Wy public hearings when bllls
a. tine first Importance are being discussed
IN state legislature and Congress. lie oh
iects nv tie often difficult language Of the
law and then says:
We must ask our legislators so many Of
whom IRE lzvverS-and our judges as well.
go know something more than tho Jaw.
Laws are framed and tribunals determlhe
Justice not only according 70 lesal puI an 70
according TO political, social and economic
principles.
Industrial hygiene. biology. history and
sociology arc some Of the things that Mr..
Grant would have the law maker and the
Law. eiver know. and says that these would
teach that law. like all human institutions
u plastic 10 evolutionary forces
In -,,s.Lir0 90 WHAT re calls more serl-
crs ord fundamental method of putting the
rc,rle behind the law. Mr.. Grant says:
We cannot nut the people behind the law
merely nv taking power away from the
rsritalistic class and by giving IT to the
working class. our problem would not be
solved y working CLASS Conu ~
,,oIld he as unjust as a Capitalistic control,
ION IN too would be one sided The work
ing class on tile whole, il has unfortunately
10 he noted. Is not broad. and some OF the
decisions adverse 10 labor we are oonseu
"a account tor Can6 this is admitted by
labor men themselves as the result OF m
mature legislation undertaken at the hasty
ami nuerulous call of labor.
IN conclusion Mr. Grant says that the
country IS confronted now by heteroge-
reovs population, which must become homo
reneous to secure mean by raising the
material status Of the working classes and
tv reducing the private arbitrary control Of
wealth