Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-11-29
Public Indifference to Criminality.

Public Indifference to Oriminality.
Scarcely day, and certainly not q
week, goes by but an announcement
is made in some part of the country
OF deialcation or embezzlement in
public service, local, State or national.
Some public official has proved him
self unworthy Its heralded through
the country by the opposition, if it
happened to be a big steal, and feebly
told, if at all, by the party to which
the defaulter happened to belong
Tho criminal then passes from the
stage, (another coming on in quick
succession, his case is "fxcd up" fol
reason of policy, and that is the last
heard of it. the people taking the re.
suit as a matter ofcourse. One more
scoundrel thus escapes punishment
and penitentiary has one inmate less
than it ought to have.
Tho greater the offence the less pun
ishment seems TO be the rule A man
who steals from the government, es
pecially it the sum be large, is rarely
punished to a greater extent than'tC
restore, through himself or bondsmcn
portion of the amount stolen. lfhC
docs this he is thought to be doing q
great deel; indeed, the feeling goe:
so far as TO regard this partial return
of stolen property by thief after hC
is found out us meritorious act, ant
sympathy is expressed at the poor
fellow having to give mp his property
Tho theft is not punished criminally
nor does lie suffer social ostracism
In fact, the embczzler or defaulter al
together escapes the odium (as well a
the punishmenD that visits otheI
rogues; yet he is among the moanes
of thieves. Favored with the infu
onee Of friends and sustained by thei
endorsement as bOndsmen, honorc,
and trusted by tie government, an,
hattered by society, there is base in
gratitude in this kind of thieving tina
ought to place it outside Of the pale 0
pity.
But these rogues (and what apple
to them is equally applicable to legis
lative bribe. takers) steal with impuni
ty, and if they get through with
"filI hand" II is not uncommon t,
hear them openly spoken of in com
plmontary terms for their shrewd
ness This is all wrong. A maj
who steals is a thief, whether it b
some poor devil burglariousIy robbinj
or passing counterfeit money, or goe
ernment appointee defaulting or en-
bezzling, or a legislator taking brides
Yet The former gets all the punish
ment and all the odium
This is triHing with justice. S
long as these dcfaulters-thc robber
Of public funds--and bribo takers ar
so treated, no reformation can tax
place. They must be regarded a
thieves aud be so treated Society
the public at large-must treat sue
need not look Tor nnything else tha
n continuation of these kinds of thefts
but a small portion of which ar
brought to light Make the results O
detection the same as are visited upo
other rogues and there will be a salt
tary restraint upon this class of rot
berries. Let the principle prevail q
"prison for the guilty and public trust
for honest men"
This indifference on the part of th
public to the criminality of the viola
tors of public trusts encourages tn
lhefts The public are not guiltles
in this matter. No party considera
ton should palliate the offence in an.
honest mans mind. Every citizo
should set his face unalterably agains
corruption in office, and in the exel
else of his political rights, take tn
matter in hand, oppose and defeat tn
nomination of doubtful men, and suT
port only those for Office whose we
established reputation is guarante
ofan honest discharge of their publ
trusts Clinton Democrat