The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-12-18
The Limitations of the. Law
BY THE HONORABLE CALVIN COOLIDGE, VICE.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
~ HE srowing multiplicity OF laws
hss ,ftsn h,eu obspryad The

u has often been observed. 'eThe
national and state legislatures pass
acts. aud their courts deliver opin.
ions, which each year run into scores
OF thousands. A part Of this Is DUE
TO the decreasing compleSity OF nm
advancing civilization. As new
forces come into existence new rela-
tionships are created. new rights and
obligations arise which redulre cs.
tablishmeut aud definition by leEisla-
tion and decision. These are all the
natural and inevitable consequences
Of the growth OF great cities, the de.
veiopment OF steam and electricity.
the use of the corporation rs the
leadius factor In the transaction OF
Z business, and the attendant regula.
,ion and control OF the powers Great.
cd by these new and mighty agen.
cies.
This has imposed legal burden
AKA yast which men ct affairs have
been wont to complain, But It Is
burden witch does nod ditfer in its
nature from the public requirement.
for security. sanitation education.
the maintenance cf highways. or the
other activities OF government neees.
sary to support present standards.
J Il IL all n part of tse irsssspsels
burden OF existence. It follows the
stream Of eyenu. 4, doe, not at
! tempt 10 precede II. AS human es.
perieaes sis brosdencd, 10 bfoAdens
with Il. IL represents growth al
together natural. To resist ~ is TO
resist progress.
But there is another part OF the
great accommodating body of our laws.
tint has boon rapidly increasing OF
late. which Ia the result OF other mo-
tives. Broadly speaking IL Is the at
tempt TO raise the moral standard CT
society by Legislation.
The spirit a reform is altogether
eneourasipsye The organized effort
and iusisteat ssesire for an equitable
distribution OF the rewards Of indus.
try. for a wider Justice, fer a more
censistensa righteousness in human
affairs. 20 one ci the most stimuiat-
ins and hopefut signs Of the prssen,
era. There ought to be a militant
public demand for progress In this
direction The society which Is sat
! ixfied Is lost. But In the accom-
\ pIishment Of these ends there needs
TO be n better understanding OF the
province Of legislative and judicial
setion- There u danger OF ydisap-
poiitment aud. disaster unless there
be q wider comprehension Of the lin
itations OF the law.
The attempt TO regulate. control
and prescribe all manner OF conduct
and social relations Is very old. II
was always the practice Of primitive
peoples. Such governments assumed
Jurisdiction over the action, proper
". life. and even RELIGIOUS convlc'
tions OF their citizens down to the
minutest detail. A large part OF ths
history OF free institutions Is the his
tory OF the people struggling TO EN-
sneipaie themselves from all OF the
bondage.
I do not mean by this that thers
has been, or can be. any progress ir
an attempt Of the people TO exis
without n strong and vigorous gov
crnment. That 10 the only founda'
tion and the only support Of all CIV
, ilization. But progress has bee
made By the people relieving them
selves OF the unwarranted and un'
necessary impcsitions OF govern
meut. There exists. and must al
/. ways exist. the righteous suthori,y
OF the state. That Is the sole source
. OF the liberty OF the individual. bu,
: II does not mean an inquisitIve and
officious intermeddiing by attempted
government action IN all the affairs
OF the people. There Is no justifi'
cation for public interference with
purely private concerns.
Thoss who founded AMI establish
ed the American government had a
very clear understanding of this
principle. They had suffered many
painful experiences from too much
public supervision OF their private sf-
fairs. The people of that period
were very Jealous of all authority
II was only the ststesmanship and
resourcefulness OF Hamilton. aided
By the great Inflnencs OF the wisdom
and character OF WashingtoH. apd
! 'the sound reasoning OF the seTy lin;
tfted' circle OF their associates, ma
! succeeded in propcsiHg and sdopteS
rshs American constitution It,est3
lShed n vital government OF brow
1 tJasers but witiiin distinct and pre-
scribed limitations. Under the pol
iuy OF implied powers adopted by the
federal party. its authority tended TO
enlarge. But under the administra-