The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-04-22
THE GATEWAY OF FREEDOM

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prohibit and deter people BY threats 81
violence from doing right things that
are essential TO their livelihood, secur-
ity and happiness. The existence and
the infections Of such INVASIVE laws are
responsible for the disrespect and con-
tempt that are felt by an ever-growing
multitude for all human laws. Henry
Ford is quite right when on his page
in the Dearborn Independent Of April
IS, he declares that:
In its truest sense, law is not re-
pressive, but Lucrative. The know
Hedge Of thel law Of mathematics sets
US free in the kingdom Of numbers.
The knowledge Of thel law Of letters
sets US free in the realm Of recorded
thought. Law is the gateway into
freedom. If we KNEW the economic
law, if Wa. KNEW the law Of human re-
lahons. if we KNEW the total law of
life, then we should be free Of econom-
lie chaos and its repressive power, we
should be free Of the intoIerable bur-
dens Of human misunderstanding, we
should be free Of the various slaveries
IN which our ignorance and stupidity
Ehold US to-day"
i 1t is the application and conformity
Of our conduct with the law or pro-
cesses. OF modes of functiening of the
principles Of life, Of righteous human
relations, and the right way to use ma
tural energies and resources, that alone
constitute freedom.
II knowledge being thus the prime re-
Iquisite Of freedom. can there be any
more dastardly activity for those en-
trusted with the administration Of
lpublic affairs, either in governmental
capacity or as a public utility. than
to deliberately falsify information, to
poison the fountain Of knowledge BY
means Of textbooks in our educational
institutions, the press, the movies, the
radio or from the rostrum?
!, For instance, in the same number Of
the Dearborn independent is contained
. an article under the caption Banks
use print to crush Money Heresies;
|, Country flooded by propaganda Of
American Bankers Association; Peri
odicals spread viewpoint Of present
money systems friends" The article is
!, lacking in historical perspective when
) lit assumes that bankers have been en-
gagged in their pernicious and mislead,
ing propaganda only since 1896. A
r careful student Of the political history
: of these United States positively know.
: that the banking propaganda has beer
: more or less active since the very be
! ginning of this government.
3 The present monetary system is {
: violation of the law of mathematics
1t has reduced the great majority 0
the American people to the most alb
ject slavery. insecurity and wretched
ness; and yet the government whose
: function it ought TO be to secure anC
: protect every member of the nation IL
. the right to, and the enjoyment Of, til,
! indispensable necessaries of life, tn,
a fright to liberty, and the right to til,
: pursuit of happiness-this government
5 deliberately upholds and backs up tn,
: bankers in their unjust exactions upol
the people, and aids and assists them il
poisoning the minds Of the people.
The writer is not opposed to repres
I sive laws, provided they are defensive
protective and restitutive in their char
acter; but his soul, every fiber of hi
being, resents and revolts against tn
! imposition Of human enactments tina
i deliberately inflict wrong and outrage
! and by threats Of violence cover tn
Ipeople into submission. The enact
ment. maintenance and infliction o
j unjust laws is not freedom, but out
right tyranny disprove it who can.
Respect for law says MIR. Fore
SIS a sentiment restricted to people fl
to be free; all others feel fear of Law
Laws should be potent to enable a
we'll as suppress. They should be res
I titutive as well as punitive. Restitr
: ton is the highest corrective; it correct
S the criminal it repairs the economi
breach made by the crime it balance
the record instead of merely stigmatiz
ing the offender We fail because
is not justice that we seek justice a
: around for society. for the citizen Of
Tended against, for the offender. Law
7 that merely make for the REFRESHING q
crime, and not also for the releasin
Of the normal moral energies, are one
sided. Law and liberty go together
e when law is the instrument of justice
And such law always commands tru
IS respect.