LIBERTY IN THE UNITED STATES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2546, 3 November 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

LIBERTY IN THE UNITED STATES.

WiTir all their boasted keenness and love of liberty, the Americans seem to be cramped, bullied, cheated and ground down in a way that would not be endured for a day in England. Here are some examples of legal administration which are at least interesting to a Briton : —A short time ago two young girls in Connecticut, having been seen at a roller skating rink in defiance of their mother's orders, and being afraid to return home, took train to New York. The sweetheart of oils of them telegraphed to the New York police and had them arrested and held until he came to take them home. Here is a wondrous power given to an individual. A person may telegraph, in an assumed name, if lie likes, to some distant town, and cause the arrest of anybody he wishes to annoy. A lunatic with a mania for having people arrested might create some curious complications under this system of primitive officialism. In America arrests seem to be the panacea for every evil. Is a person a gambler and likely to impoverish his family, his wife has hiin arrested Is a lover backward in fulfilling his promise, his lover has him arrested. Does a woman suspect her husband of an intention to elope, she has him arrested. Is a man rude to a policeman, or does a policeman think him so, he is arrested. I have seen, in Chicago, a driver taken from his cart and lodged in gaol for telling a policeman to go to Shcol ; and in New York a gentleman was recently arrested because his horse ran away with him, and after throwing him, knocked down a road mender. And when arrested what becomes of all these people ? Well the gambler is made to promise to mend his ways or make provision for his family ; the lover must show cause for his delay or else marry the girl, often on the spot; the suspected husband has to declare his faithfulness; the man who has the temerity to brave a policeman, is cautioued or " sent, up '' as seems best suited to his degree of offeuce. —Uncle Sam at Home.