human
Seþor, replied Elias,
gpt
I am the spokesman of many unfortunates.
human
And they wish?
gpt
Radical reforms in the guard, the clergy, and the administration of justice.
human
Elias, said Ibarra,
gpt
I know little of you, but I believe you will understand me when I say that though I have friends at Madrid whom I might influence, and though I might interest the captain-general in these people, neither they nor he could bring about such a revolution. And more, I would not take a step in this direction, because I believe what you want reformed is at present a necessary evil.
human
You also, seþor, believe in necessary evil? said Elias with a tremor in his voice.
gpt
You think one must go through evil to arrive at good?
human
No; but I look at evil as a violent remedy we sometimes use to cure ourselves of illness.
gpt
It is a bad medicine, seþor, that does away with the symptoms without searching out the cause of the disease. The Municipal Guard exists only to suppress crime by force and terrorizing.
human
The institution may be imperfect, but the terror it inspires keeps down the number of criminals.
gpt
Rather say that this terror creates new criminals every day, said Elias.
human
There are those who have become tulisanes for life. A first offence punished inhumanly, and the fear of further torture separates them forever from society and condemns them to kill or to be killed. The terrorism of the Municipal Guard shuts the doors of repentance, and as a tulisan, defending himself in the mountains, fights to much better advantage than the soldier he mocks, we cannot remedy the evil we have made. Terrorism may serve when a people is enslaved, and the mountains have no caverns; but when a desperate man feels the strength of his arm, and anger possesses him, terrorism cannot put out the fire for which it has itself heaped the fuel.
gpt
You would seem to speak reasonably, Elias, if one had not already his own convictions. But let me ask you, Who demand these reforms? You know I except you, whom I cannot class with these others; but are they not all criminals, or men ready to become so?
human
Go from pueblo to pueblo, seþor, from house to house, and listen to the stifled groanings, and you will find that if you think that, you are mistaken.
gpt
But the Government must have a body of unlimited power, to make itself respected and its authority felt.
human
It is true, seþor, when the Government is at war with the country; but is it not unfortunate that in times of peace the people should be made to feel they are at strife with their rulers? If, however, we prefer force to authority, we should at least be careful to whom we give unlimited power. Such a force in the hands of men ignorant, passionate, without moral training or tried honor, is a weapon thrown to a madman in the middle of an unarmed crowd. I grant the Government must have an arm, but let it choose this arm well; and since it prefers the power it assumes to that the people might give it, let it at least show that it knows how to assume it!