10 PROHIBITION. 



ter an aggressive act of force has been begun it is jiistifiable to use a 

 counter force, to withstand it. When a crime is thus committed, 

 the sovereignty of the individual is surrendered, in the very act, in 

 favor of equal sovereignty. The rationale for the arrest of force is 

 because it is misplaced, unreciprocal, out of balance. If the intent 

 be good it does not alter the false relationship, which having been 

 rectified, the collective force of society is at an end. This is illus- 

 trated with mathematical exactness when a drunkard enters one's 

 house. The law says if an order to leave will do, the use of force is 

 not justified. If he oft'ers slight resistance, then 07il(j just enough 

 force to overcome it is ijermissable. 



The government itself is amenable to law, it cannot violate that 

 which it is to enforce. Its office and exercise is no lono-er a chaotic 

 mess of opinion and guess work, but determined with scientific ex- 

 actness. It does not exist to promote morals, or order, but for 

 the scientitic ])reservation of individual liberty. It follows then, 

 that, like ever}' other natural oreaniKation, it must have its own 

 particular individuality. As a bird with wings cannot swim, or a 

 fish with tins cannot fly, or a reaping machine cannot thrash, or a 

 thrasher harvest, so the governmental machine can do but one kind 

 of work. If it attempts everything, it will do nothing well ; if it goes 

 out of its sphere, it has lapsed from that of a defensive to an aggres- 

 sive criminal.* And when in the name of "law and order" the <rov- 

 ernment itself becomes the source of disorder, that arising from indi- 

 viduals is small in comparison. The kind of government the people 

 sustain i.s a siu-e gauge of their own peacableiiess and co-operation 

 To such an extent is this true, that when only a scientilic govern- 

 ment is desired, that will not long be necessary. For, in standing 

 guard over liberty, who can possibly be more interested than liberty, 

 herself ?t 



* Only think of Mic Anu-rican eagle, luivi;,' torn tlie bloody siiiit to tattern, now 

 Btoopinng to poke over the dirty linen of nrigliani VoiingI O shame on ghiinie: 

 The downfall of the American republic will date from llie party of "public improve- 

 ments" and great "moral ideas." 



t How much defensive government does the reader suppose would be necessary? 

 This cannot be exactly told until we get out from under the elTeels of ;i paternal 

 one. How far people would voluntarily transgress, may be conjectured, by notic- 

 ing those native tribes who are void of government or civilization. The reports of 

 students are that the rule of reciprocity is universally recognized. Theft is rarely 

 known. No police, safes, or locks are needed. Individual Bovcrcignty fairly bris- 

 tles with a jealous regard for equal sovereignty. There is no inequality of condi- 

 tions. If we now turn to civilized countries, with a national government, we find 

 all this reversed. Nay, more : not only do we find that crimes against property are 

 a re>!ult of civilization, but that they increase with progress. There is now Ave 

 times us much crime as twenty live years ago. I'ateriuil government, too, since the 

 war, has increased that fast. Tin; r.ad.T may n-.w be left to judge which is the 



