Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-20
HOW LAWLEssNEss GROWS
Blame Rests on Better Glasses Who
Would Do as They Please


Would Do as They Please
One great trouble with us in South
Carolina-one reason why this state is
so far behind other states In so many
respects-is the little respect we have
for the law. A great many Of us do
not pay any attention to law that we
do not like. We are not deliberate
lawbreakers; we just ignore the law.
And that this tendency is just as
strong among those who like to think
Of themselves as belonging to the bet
ter classes-those Of us who are edu-
Gated and intelligent and fairly we'll
to-do-makes it all the worse. We
speak Of the "lawless element" when
as a matter of fact, there is little If
any distinction. Some depraved people
violate certain laws deliberately, while
others, who would resent being called
criminals, just ignore certain laws
they do not like and let it go at that.
They argue that it is an unwlse law,
or one that would cause great incon-
venience If obeyed literally, so why
should they bother with it?
We do not like a law against the
sale Of whisky, therefore we encour-
age the blind tigers. We do not like
the law against carrying concealed
weapons, therefore we go around with
pistol in our hip-pocket. We do not
like the law against gambling, there
fore we meet with a few congenial
friends and play poker or other games
for money. Or we may argue that
these are good enough laws for people
who do not know how to restrain
themselves and should be enforced as
to those people, but they were not in
tended to apply to us and our friends
who know how to behave, and so we
will just go along and ignore these
laws in so far as they apply to us.
And so it goes. We ignore the law
that we do not find it convenient t,
obey, and other people ignore the laws
which they do not approve of, and II
goes on down to those whom we call
the "lawless element" They violate
laws that we think all people should be
made to obey, and we rail at the OFF,
GERS for not enforcing the law. We
declare in our wrath and shame that
it is a disgrace, and that the state Is
being ruined. And that Is true. But
the ruin is not being wrought by the
lower classes; it is being wrought by
those Of us who know better, but VIII.
do not do better. We cannot expect
the ignorant people, those who have
not had the advantages that we have
had, to do better than we do ourselves
When they see us ignoring one law IL
is perfectly natural for them to feel
that they have right to break other
laws. And-mark you this-when we
set out to enforce the law agains,
them, and allow the privileged few Of
our own set to go free, there is goi
to be deep resentment and we need not
be surprised if there is serious trou-
BILE. If the trouble comes 1t will not
be the ignorant classes who will be Sc
much to blame; those Of us who have
set ourselves above the law will be to
blame.
1t may be said that there are unwise
laws on the statute books. That is
probably true. But who can tell wheth-
er a law Is wise or not II 1t has not
been observed? If a law Is strictly
observed, it's unwisdom can soon be
determined, and then it can be speed
lily repealed. A law not enforced
dangerous. for it brings on non-en-
| forcement of other laws-laws admit
| ted to be necessary. 1t Is better to
submit in patience to bad law than
| to bring about the non enforcement OF
all law, and we are rapidly approach
ing the latter condition right here in
South Carolina.
| This is a matter that the people
ought to be thinking about and trying
| to bring about a change. If we do not
| soon bring about a change we are go
| ing to have some very bad times in
deed in the state-much worse tin
than any we have yet experienced
Anderson Daily Mail.