The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-04-30
When People We're Tor
tured Into Obedience,
IS COMPULSORY VACCINATION
The FaIlacy Of 0beying This
Edict Which Guaran.
tees Nothing.
\ SENSIBLE VIEW OF SUBJECT


upon the vigilance and wisdom OF
the people and no one is so lowly
he may escape public duty and re-
sponsibility. "All our constitution
al checks and misgovernment," says
Macaulay, must be kept in the
highest efficiency. We must watch
with Jealousy the first encroach-
ment. never suffering Irregularities
. even when harmless within them
selves, to go unchallenged, lest they
acquire the force of precedent"
With such vigilance and jealousy,
no harm can befall us, for even a
Tudor would watch with constant
anxiety the temper of his country. "
Again no man can save anoth-
er's soul, nor pay another's debt"
an elemental principle the aver
age near legislator, in his Puritan
crusade of soul-saving, whose too
frequent use no less than his abuse
Of power would soon exhaust his
authority, has never been quite able
to fully understand.
Spencer tells us that legislation
is the weakest instrument Of the
deeper class of reforms, while Web
ster declares the paramount issue
of life is individual responsibility"
There is a group of inherent, pre-
existing, universal, immutable and
inailenable personal rights which
no system of government can
abridge with impunity. There are
certain character obstacles con-
fronting the onward march OF civil
ization that nothing but moral sua-
sion can overcome. Mere statutory
law with all it's rewards, penalties
and anathemas, may be hurled
against them, but in vain-vain as
the edict of Sidney Smiths three
little tailors of Tooly street. who
met in convention and solemnly re-
solved that I'VE, the people of all
England" &c.,-vain as that ex-
quisite dream of that compact, tight
little coterie of stand-patters and
Bull Moosers who recently met in
Hartford and, at one fell swoop,
wiped out all the differences divid-
ing Teddy and Taft, strict orders
from both State and National Au-
thority to the contrary notwith-
standing. "Oh, give me Office or give
me death" With these wholly ir-
relevant preliminaries, let me now
plunge into the midst of things,
which happens to be Compulsory
Vaccination.
IL is sickening to think of. all the
legislative blunders and crimes
committed in the name of science
and reform 1t looks as if when
the ordinary layman is born. he's
done for He becomes the victim
OF all kinds of experiments in pol
itics and morals as well as in sci
ence-a kind of rabbit or guinea
pig upon whom some crazy crank
is eternally testing his internal spe-
cific. I'll be hanged if | like il,
and I'm never so well pleased with |
myself as when | screw up the NOR
al courage to speak right out in |
meetin' for the right, though | be |
mobbed the next minute for a here
tic. The Vaccinationist, or crank,
or Whatever he is, seems to think
those who see things differently,
however honestly and intelligently,
have no rights that should be re-
spected and should be summarily
kicked off the face of the earth, or,
If mercifully allowed to remain,
should be tied up and sacrificed like
All OK. 1t is a dangerous thing to
invest such men with power. A lit
lie more discernment in delegating
authority might spare the people
ieal of protest and resentment.
Every one to his taste" said the
Did woman when she kissed the
,ow. Let those who believe in II,
gaccinate TO their full content
,oncede respect and would fight for
his right. but why force ninety per
cent. of the people to submit to
What they regard as disgusting
fraud and horrible outrage, agra
,ated. by mercenary design-people
Who seriously object TO having their
,ure blood contaminated by a
oathsome poison, often reekins
With germs of worse Diseases
Even II vaccination WAS an abso-
ute prevention. some would ratherl
'isk the chance OF taking the dis
,ase than the great risk of the pre-
'entive, and surely God. If not the.
aw. has vouchsafed to the indiyid-
IaI some choice In the matterS a.
But is II a preventive? Let's see.
Dr.. Rayman, health. ofhcer OF
lew York. reported S57 cases In