River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-03-06

For, Paddy avick, you're as wild as the
diyil,
You'll he kissing aud squazing me, that's
what youll do"
''But the pig, replied Pat, "that I've lug
ged so securely,
If Loose, back to town like the diyil he'd
trot."
"oob, Psddy," said sic, as she looked up
demurely,
Sure couldn't ye put the zig under the
pot?"
-
\ WANT Of accurate information Oh
the part Of the masses concerning the
acts OF public servants, IS not uofre-
qucntly the cause Of many mistaken
notions, jealousies aud ordinations.
The want Of frankness on the part Of
many Of these servants is another agra
waiting cause; aud the two combined
not unfrequently cause distrust which
often amounts to bitter examination
even where no Just cause exists. 1t too
frequently happ Us that obsequious
place hunters. instead Of being the SER
wants Of the people when Office is secur
ed either by election or appointment,
become tyrauts and lord it over their
dominion with intolerable impudence.
TLey are uuapproachable, aud, upon
being questioned, they tell US that they
havegiyen such information as Gin their
Judgement the people should receive
We need not 60 far out Of our way to
find an Illustration exactly in point.
But tyranny in this form is more con-
temptIble than in cases where itreceives
the sanction Of law. Tnen people under
staud that they have no rights which
these tyrants are bound to respect
then the subjects bow in token Of aub-
mission frem force Of habit. Il IS an.
outward form Of the body alone, aud
and has a respect tor the place alone
and not for the man,
We call these things tyranny, but the
former is the more disgusting But
what is the remedy? What serves to
make men more nearly equal? What
serve, also to inspire confidence in our
fellow men? What serves most to allay
suspicion, jeaiosy OF envy? What best
serves 10 secure and promote mutual
respect. and remind men Of their nlu.
tual dependence?
1t needs not the pen Of philosopher
to answer these questions. Education
generally diffusel, is an antldote for
tyranny in any form. Intelligene, gea :
eral and special, moral and religious,
secular aud financial, serves to secure
equality amoug men--to Danish doubt
end uncertainty-to inspire confidence
and secure a proper respect for men,
for law, FAD for social order.
If we are correct in our premises,
there is IN absolute necessity existing
for a relaxation in some Of our laws and
usagcs in society, and for modification
in others. The total abolition Of the
franklng privilege, was not, in our opin-
ion, the greatest reform that could have
been inaugarated, since it amounted to
positive inhibition to the transmission
aud consequent circulation of docu-
ments containing important information
for the people. 1t also puts an enbar'
60, so to speak, upon the circulation OF
general intelligence by free communlca-
tiol between the newspapers OF the
country, without the aid Of which our
government could not be maintained
for a single year. Theu, too, it struck a
fearful blow at the local press Of the
country by compelling the people to
support monopolies in distant cities, aud
placing a barrier between them and the
local intelligence which is Of vital i'm
portance to them. On tho whole, then,
it is a matter Of doubt whether the abo.
lition of the franking privilege with its
necessary results, was not a step in de.
fence Of ignorance, superstition aud
tyranny. While it might have been
we'll 10 correct some Of its abuses, in
our opinion the law, as a whole is q
positive evil.