Untitled article by J. O. BEARD

Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · December 1, 1892

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 7, No. 47

Paternalism.

By J. O. BEARD

WE would naturally and properly expect that the National Reformers, who are so bold in their demand that others shall obey the laws of the land (even their unrighteous Sunday laws), would always be careful themselves to keep in harmony with the law. And surely they would never advocate any course of action that would be contrary to “law and order.” But, no, they are just as ready to imitate their great model—the Papacy—in that matter as they have proved themselves to be in other things.

In a speech at Kansas City, Mo., last September, Rev. W. F. Crafts said their next work was to pour in their petitions on the World’s Fair Commissioners so that they would not dare to open the Fair on Sunday.

And if they fail (in closing the Fair) we must ask Congress again, to make sure that the American custom and not the loose evil manners of foreigners shall prevail in regard to the Sabbath.

Mr. Crafts and his fellow craftsmen know perfectly well that Congress has no right to say anything in regard to the matter; for they know that—

The powers not delegated to the United States by this Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.—U. S. Constitution, Amendment 10.

And the question under consideration is, and always has been, one of those reserved powers. Yet in that speech Mr. Crafts said:—

Congress has sent a great fair into Illinois, and Congress must see that the State is protected from a violation of its laws—must see that the Commissioners shall not be allowed to break down these elements of morality.

So in order to carry out their purpose they are not only willing, but even demand, that Congress shall nullify one of the most inviolable of States’ rights. And they would have it done on the flimsy pretext that the State of Illinois is not able to protect itself from being overridden, and its police regulations broken down, by the managers of the Fair. But the Constitution which prohibits Congress from meddling with the police regulations of the States, also provides that when a State is not able to control

its disorderly inhabitants the President of the United States may, upon call from the State, send in troops to quell the disturbance. But it does not provide that such aid shall be sent until called for. So they would violate a second provision of the Constitution in order to bend others into a compliance with their religious ideas.

The very thought of violating constitutional law, in order to enforce statutory law is startling. But when it is deliberately proposed that the Congress of the United States shall violate its own constitutional law for the purpose of enforcing a statutory law of a State, it is indeed alarming. It is one more very significant indication of the present tendency towards paternalism by the general Government. A tendency which, if logically followed to the end, would not only nullify all State rights, but would also destroy every right of the individual. It would place all power in the general Government, which would enforce its laws by uniformed and armed soldiers as do the monarchies of Europe. Truly great is this so-called National Reform! and wise are these pseudo National Reformers!

J. O. BEARD