The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-04-16
s.gp Man.

MA. EnTOR Az you not highly ticklsd
that the soap man has come among us % stir
up the dizziness viii sharp stick Have
we pot wanted an excitement Of some kind 10
give lie 10 our community, and what more
innocent amusement could We find than %
purchase box Of soap wherewilh 10 cleanse
the outer man, and az the same time run the
chance Of drawing a three hundred and twen-
~ dollar golI wateh that might have eosr 10
market onelhaf ~ many dimesP OF course
there can be no danger Of the inner man be-
coming corrupt and unclean, while the outer
Il going through the publication. Our COM
munity certainly appsar 10 appreciate the
phIlahlhroplo spirit Of soap man, and are
orovding 90 bis help. This speaks we'll Tor
the morality Of 3d. Johnsbury- And II the
report be true that he adjourned his sale on
fast day that the churches might have the
benefit Of his crowd, was not this magnani-
nous was not this an empowering evil
deuee Of early pety Ia soap manP II IL a
cunning chap that lodges the dsra two hours
q day for appearance sake, and lhen walks
hand IN hand WIN THE Old fellow the rest n
the time,
-Mit soap man r. not o gamblers gambling
HrS irSadJd Hing and IL Is contrary 10 law
10 ylmbiei ilis sales are not o lottery e-
lher, Don't Webster and tho law define
what constitutes q lottery This IL some
thing different, only sale Of soap-ViIli-
with q lottery attached and tuereuuto belong
ing whore the buyer can draw prize Of
doubVui rghis, Perhaps the law vii not
touch soap man, So the law viii not touch
slavery, but Is slavery right? Perhaps good
moral and Christian people patronilo biz
sales, Well what II thcy do P Is that any ey-
idenee Of justice between man and man?
Ny idea Of ggnLlng 10 this, gambling con
si,ls Ga stalking lesser value In hope Of OBJ
tanning greater and unjust value in return.
This Is gambling, and 90 matter what Il r.
called, whether gambling, lottery or sale, Il
Is the same under whatever disguise Il IA
pucuccd, Whoever possesses this desire 10
stake lesser value IN the hope Of obtaining
greater and unjust value, possesses he
spirit Of gambling, The soap man takes cd,
vantage Of this desire Of obtaining unjust
gain which pcryades community 10 crowd
the sale Of hi, soap, I, IL unfair 20 say that
nineteenth, Of the sales Of soap arise solely
from the desire Of greater gain In those who
buy ? think not Tho soap that will not
stand on its own merits must be made O.
stand on this desire Cor unjust gain, when
poor boys that seldom wash, and never shave
% there and buy aHd continue 10 buy until
they have spent their last dollar, Il loOksycry
much live being soft.sonpcd in suspicious
manner Common farmers do not buy 2j or
30 boxes Of soap At one dollar box under
ordinary circumstances, unless there Is some.
thing behind TO excite their arMicyusness
and lure them on to the loss of their mon
cy
It (, as unjust to draw one hundr(d dol
lars Tor one as it is to draw nothing ior one
hundred dollars invested. Therefore the
whole schcmc is unjust and is nothing more
than robbery by permission, The plea that
they got their moneys worth Of soap is
shabby plea at best and needs no arguments
TO relute il. This kiad of scheme l. similar
to tie grab bags Of donation parties, aud
ring eakcs' Of fairs where the end is suppos-
ed TO justify the means. Gu, Of charity we
may suppose that those who participate in
The fairs and parties were not aware they
were patroniziug the very essence Of gam
bling. May not this soap and lar schemes
be a sprout Of the same root. In concluding
this article would like to make an enquiry,
which is-would it be unjust, immoral or I'M
christian to petition our next legislature TO
pass law with especial reference to this
class Of cases, so that the monster with sew
en- heads and horns may receive his deserts
Or ifit be unjust TO pat Gu, such a. petition.
would it not be just to petition the same
power to repeal all existing laws which re-
strict lotteries and gambling, and thus let
the desire OF greater and unjust gain have
"a high o time etH2" This might give our
young people a good chance to learn steady
habits
For my. part l would be glad to sign pc
tition for a law adapted to this class of cases
and do not think it would be unwise to put
it in circulation at the present time, while the
remembrance Of brass gold watches, and dit
to jewelry of all kinds is fresh in the minds
of many who have been bitten. 4. b. q.
81 JohnSbuTy, Aprii s, $50.
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