Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1921-01-25
BEING OFFICIALIzED

The land OF the free is getting 10 be
the paradise OF the petty official Lots
OF things are becoming taboo: "ycrbo-
ten" II being written almost every
where. For the sake Of argument LEI
ns concede that nothing IL forbidden
that ought not 10 he under the han
that women should not wear high
heels; that men and women should not
use tobacco; that snoring Is misde-
lneanor; using these as timely illustra
tions OF the ohjectives Of refOrmers
who have these proposals before legis-
latures. still. the making Of these pet.
ty things unlawful calls for a host of
petty law enfOrcers who are eating up
the sustinence Of the people and max
ing freedom and self-reliance mock
cry.
Almost every man you meet these
days can display an official badge Of
some kind and demand 10 inspect al
most anything from travelling bag 10
the sewer connections. The politicians
are only too glad tc make new offices
with which to reward the faithful and
the fool refOrmers are playing into
their hands by demanding new police
officials for the detection aud punish
ment Of those so unfortunate as To
overlook taboo. Taxes are mounting
and It takes more, I'm some instances to
collect the tax than the government
gets out OF Il, but still the civil list
grows
Many OF these new laws came as the
result OF progress as for instance, the
vOlstead act. Whiskey Is poison and
should have been put out Of business.
long ago. but why give all the ex-bar
tenders job as prohibition officers
The Mann act was undoubtedly good
thing and has made social vices among
the rich matter Of intra-state rather
than Interstate enjoyment Il Is
fruitful cause OF blackmail il has
also made that forgotten marriage GER
tificate as important as passport.
When you sign "JOhn Jones and wife"
on the hotel register II Is much better
to have the papers 10 prove the status
to the inspector who earns an honest
living from enquiring closely into tli'
relations Of travelling couples.
In New Mexico you can get into end
| less trouble by overlooking an income
return. but you can 60 out aud kin a
man In cold blood with the cheering
certainty that YOU viii only have eight
years 10 serve for the indescretion. One
might 90 on to point out that real old
fashioned crime Is going largely unpun-
ished and show other inequalities and
distortions In the administration of
justice. hut such is not the purpose Of
this editorial The point is that the
| United States Is becoming a great deal
like Europe, the curse Of which Is petty
officials that harass the people and lay
heavy economic burdens uDon them.
We might ask, Are the people becom.
ing more moral and more religious for
all the reforming that Is going oni Can
the people be made 50 by legislative act
and constant surveillance II we can
believe the reformcrs themselves the
people are becoming more irreligious
and immoral aud they proceed TO lobby
for n hill 10 regulate the billing and
cooling Of Young lovers Nothing evi-
IDENTIFY issto he left matter between
men and their God-cOnscience. that
/ still small voice. cannot be trusted
More laws more inspectors and police
officers.
/ Great nations fall because Of their
vices. the chief Of which Is political
corruption In high places; the common
people become the victims Of official
dom and sink into degradation that
leaves them without hope and without
the sturdy purpose TO defend the com
imonwealth The presence of crude
vice has no power over the common
people. whose achievements maintain
the state hut take away from them the
fruits OF their labor, the ability 30
maintain homes by robbing them
through taxation and they are lost.
slavery. commercial prostitution. and
all the debauchery Of decadeut state
are the inevitable result When this
condition has been achieved. what
pnnacea Of legislation will the purists
offer?
Beware Of the petty official: he is
the gopher that undermincs the dyke
that purity erccts. ana lets loose the
dark flood Of evil and woe.