Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-01-05

Ratbi Stephen 5. Wise, addressing a
gathering representative Of the tinan-
cial and Observation-Disclosures Of the coun-
try, and including j. p. Morgan, Car
negie John ID. Rockefeller, H., and
other leaders Of so-cslled "hig bust
nessn In the United States, recaptly in
theWaldorf- Astoria sounded warning
against the tendency OF the day to law
lessness.
The occasion was the one hundred
aud forty-third banquet OF the cham
Der of commerce.. Seated on either
side OF President A. Barton Hepburn
were James Bryce, British ambassa.
dor; Senator Elihu Root, J. Pierpont
Morgan, Rabbi Wise, RI. Rev. David
Fl. Greer, Governor John a. Dix, Gen
ersi Frederick ID. Grant, Thomas A !.
Edison, Andrew Carnegie, Channcey
NJ. Depew, St. Clair Mckelway, Gov
ernor Emmett o'Neai, of Alabama;
Mayor Gaynor, Alfred Moseley, Gen.
erai Horace Porter, james ]. Hill and
Rear Admiral Robert +. Peary.
Speaking to the topic 1.-THE Con-
science Of the Nation Rabbi Wise
said he was not unmindful that In the
assemblage were some who, alike the
notorious Lord Melbourne, are afraid
that this damned morality will ruin
everything but urged that 1.-The
newly quickened conscience Of the ma
ton demands that business, which has
become too largely impersonal, needs
10 he rcpersonalized, and that articles
OF Incorporation are not 10 be offered NJ
a substitute for the mandates OF the
decalogue.n He continued.
"Instead of ceaseless and senseIess
clamor against the department Of law
at Washington, we are to see TO 1t that
our business be 50 regulated and ad-
ministered that it shall not be In con.
slant collision with the law. In a
word, the nation and commerce must
cease TO war upon each other, but they
can only cooperate upon the basis OF
the governments infiexible iusistnnce
upon the supremacy of the law, how
ever announcement and unprohtable be
conformity thereto, ana The scquies-
cence Of commerce ia the IDEAL Of obedi-
ence 10 the spirit as well as the letter
Of the law, lest too, spoiIation by tile
few I've al last replaced BY expropria.
ton by the many.
zone of thetendencies against which
the American people must battle earn
estly and steadfastly is thetendeDcy to
Iawlessness, as dangerous to cur dem
ocracy today as the Greeks believed it
to be twenty-five hundred years ago.
ave must do battle against the an
archy, Of lynehing, against the anar-
chy ofendless homicldism. against the
anarchy which inheres In the not less
deadly homicides that are the daily In
cidents Of industry.
"Not only is democracy incompati-
BILE with the violent lawlessness Of the
infiamed and unreasonable, but with
the lawlessness of technical conformity
with the letter and actual violation Of
the spirit of the law. Lawlessness Is
BOT less menacing when 1t clothes it.
self in the forms Of law. The practise
Of the law is not to be shield and COW
ert for lawless praetises. The ends Of
justice are too often defeated by means
Of the law. There is little TO choose
between the anarchist who believes in
the breaking OF the Law because it Is
law, and because all laws are oppres-
give, aud the lawlessaess wBleh breaks
the law because 1t Is unjust. The one
honestly aims at justice without law
and the really lawless anarchist is the
man OF place and power who aimed at
law without justice. New York
American.