Show a AGAL1ST PDHiI iQPThIoor I A brief telegram in this issue of Tier i HEBAID Gys that the evictions in a little t lit-tle district of Ireland have just been s J i ° I oncicdod The total amount of rents f 4 concerned does not exceed 50 yearly J There were 150 policemen and bailiffs t fJ and lixty airs and boats engaged for I r eleven days in the proceedings at s cost of tlOO a day Perhaps one of r these days governments learn that i even if it is possible to enforce laws against public opinion there had better r f bet-ter be no i nforcemcnt But itS not I k possible to apply laws effectively to ass i as-s t to carry with them the weight that i ehould follow their application when i 4 public opinion opp loSeS them In r f Jieland public sentiment is bitterly op S S posed to the payment ot the extortionate If extortion-ate rents charged by avaricious land I lord cod sets its face squarely against turning poor tenants out of their holding hold-ing because of their inability to pay the rents The public sentiment is so powerful that it has cost the government fully 6 GOO tor itt tenants whose total i put did not amountio more than 50 fcyear Ibis 1rueh government has enforced en-forced its law but at what cost in money and good feeling Public senti inent against the government is more bitter than before i he evictions began it will be more difficult to turn out then the-n at lot of delinquent tenants than it was to get rid of the miserable people who have just been forced into the streets because they couldnt or wouldnt submit to what they believed I tojbean extortion on robbery Evicting these tenants by force has not convinced con-vinced these tenants that they are wrong on the contrary they are now cerUin their own minds that the Jaw js harsh and cruel and public oJ in n heartily sustains them in that view o the case A law to be effective and useful must have the sanction and ap proval of the community to which it is applied II the community thinks it a bad law if public sentiment ij opposed to it the statute hadbetter afonce be Repealed for its enforcement will only makemattera worse In other words public opinion makes a law good or bad effective or useless and governments gov-ernments and those charged with tusking tusk-ing and executing the laws should look more to public opinion for Inspiration and direction |