Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-07-12
LAWFUL ROBBERY AND UNLAWFUL.

Here is some Calvin Coolidge philosophy:
so one of the first things want to do
for the benefit Of the public is to provide for
the security and protection of property There
is not any of undertaking to provide
for the acquisition of property through the
payment of wages if, after it has been ac-
CURED brought together and collected, it can
not be secured. And if property that has been
collected is insecure there you do not find
condition that is toerable. there you always
find condition of pinChing poverty and deg
radiation and dwindling civilization. That
has always been so in the east; it was in
Russia, and it will be anywhere. And if
we desst depart from protection of
property that will be exactly the condition
that will overake this American nation of
ours"
Under our system, which has been the result of
the experience of amounted generations of people,
property rights are a fundamental If there is to
be property it must have protection,
Todays pay check represents property. The
food for today's supply the clothes backs
are property. Our household furniture. our humble
homes, are properly. We all believe in our prop
erty rights in these things and demand that the
law protect them. We therefore, all believe In pro-
lection to property.
Why then the occasion for preaching to about
believing in the protection of property?
The very Importance to us of the protection of
property inspires in the feeling that the
vital point at which strike enemy is to
destroy his property. We know how vital his in
in his property is because experience the
same feeling
So when jealousy or hatred or resentment seizes
us and we want to retalate, we seek to punish our
enemy by destroying what is of value to him
Children do this to each other. Brother tears
up sisters paper doll, not because he hates the doll,
but because he knows sister prizes it and, in his
anger, he wants to hurt her.
If mother burns his toy elephant as a punish
ment his heart is broken. But his little mind learns
lesson the sacredness of property.
Men boys grown tall. Thrown off their poise
by jealousy resentment they become angry little
boys again and want to destroy property in order
to punish.
As anchor against such mental storms we
must forever of the rights of property and
the necessity for its protection. If may destroy
or confiscate the property of another because we
are momentarily strong enough to do SO, then an
other who is strong enough may destroy or con
fiscate We must set faces against all
such conduct.
But who strong enough in mind and
strategy devise methods which are within our pres
ent law, to legally rob of property Some
times is case Of the legal robbery of ndivid-
ual oftener Il is a high finance conspiracy against
the whole people
be taken from them by any but legal means To
adopt the shortcut of destruction seizure is to
make all property unsafe.
But those who have thus wrongfuy taken the
property of others must not be allowed to sit back
in fat complacent opulence and preach the doctrine
of the protection of property rights 1t puts too
hard a strain upon human nature. Resentment will
break the bounds of good intentions.
Those who think, therefore will plan and work
for such forward-looking legislation as will curb
the exploiting of the weak by the strong They will
strive for laws which will legally take from the
strong what they legally, but wrongfuy, took from
the weak. They will strive to that there is JUS
tce and protection in the getting as we'll as in the
keeping" Fl
No man can in good faith, preach security to
property who is not honestly striving to equaze the
opportunities of acquiring it.
As good citizens and wise will plan for
q new and better system of laws, instead of a spo-
radio and Intellectual unlawful method of curbing
thoes who exploit us.
That is why the world needs forward looking
progressive leadership.