The Alaska daily empire., 1923-08-27
Respect for Law.
(San Francisco Journal. )

(San Francisco Journal)
 One of the first and foremost blanks in the plat form upon which The Journal stands is the enc which declares that America is nation of law and order. Weaken respect for law and we usher in irresouton and uncertainty which leads to anarchy. Permit anarchy and invite the death of civilization. Gov ernmens derive their just from the consent of the governed says that immortal document which laid the foundations of American principle. Government is only another name for the orderly execution of law Therefore we may that law, in order to have per nganent sanction must have the support of popular consent. Lacking that 1t will later become a nulliy. Society was not made in a day nor year yet in a century. It is bundle of sanctions which have common consent behind them and which change only as fast as the evolution of consent may permit. To go faster is to invite failure. To go slower is to invite revolution
 There has been plentiful response the question recently prcpounded by The Journal which asked "Can prohibition be enforced?" It is surprising that
 considerable number of the respondents entirely mis- understood the animus behind the question and as- sumed that the asking of the question equivalent to declaration against temperance. This assump- ton, of course, is wholly unwarranted Our editorial made attempt to discuss the morality expediency of prohibition social question. It limited to discussion of the success Of enforcing the law and whether the law had in reality the sanction of mon consent necessary to make it specially binding We are scarcely presumptuous enough both to ask and answer the question. We have fear of honest discussion but would pray to be delivered from the fanatic who cannot endure look situation in the face and meet it squarely
 Perhaps this law has the necessary sanction to make it success, but the indications be that II ldS Hol II It really mas not, then venture assert that there is something lacking the law and that this must be corrected before success can be ex- peced Some critics say that in order be consistent we should advocate the repeal of the laws against murder and stealing because they are constantly violated No such parallel is to be drawn Those iaws have the sanction of society and their violation Is only the execution. Moreover there is no question about the evil involved and reasonable thesis could be put forward in favor of their repeal The whole structure of society rests upon foundation in bar- mony with the principle of protection to life and property The best that the friends of prohibition can gay for it would scarcely go as far as that and lhe opponents CT prohibition would deny it altogether
 Any discussion of the liquor question must take aeoouit oi the fact that there many violent and unreasonable fanatics both sides. Both of these must oe ignored II sane argument is be procured The Journal believes in temperance and is thoroughly or the evil Of unrestricted liquor traffic
 Especially is the country be congratulated upon the suppression ol the saloon If shred sanity is .ei that vie institution will never again be permitted to raise It's head We said that public opinion fully sustains this view and believe that if does Jts sanction would be, and is, behind that policy us
 o perlec'y rank and intelligent person will maintain mat this rests upon the same principle involved in the larger question. They will be generous enoueb to| aam that there is at least plausibility in the claim that the individual should retain right to regulate hs own conduct when that conduct does not oversten the rights of others " ''op
 ihe hlthy lucre once piled up by the saloon is now gong into the eoffcrs of the bootggers If is eohserVauvely estimated that a billion dollars vear Is now being made by those engaged in tbis 1oc;ti mate trane. That Is travesty on justice If ia
 o part o the intention of good people that the intro auc'ioh or a moral reform should put vast fortunos into the pockets of those engaged in defeatin .bot ihis traffic thrivcs, upon the evil inten n, ~ VI 1he pootegsers, but upon the desires of the people who patronize them. If the market for tha soous dd not exist there would be no profit in trvne :" suppy IL. The reform must have the sympathy
 cooperation or the people behind or it will not os success. whether this is to be obtained bv Vioentiy attacking ingrained personal babits o b some easier method of approach is at least debatab, question. ueoa'aoie