New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-19

N8nC, ana tneIe aSa10 WILL WIG OA"AoA
glitter Of assumption.
Nor is this tendency confined to mod
ern times. It was known when Jacob,
with the simulated hands Of Esau, robbed
his brother of birthright, and when
Judas, with kiss, betrayed his Master.
Passing from sacred to profane history.
it shows itself throughout the entire
march of the historic centuries, now rid
ing the Trojan horse of strategy, now
gliding with Egypt's Queen in the gay
barges of allurement, and now moving
with Birnam wood toward Dunsinane.
Centuries ago there was law enacted
in India against Devils Dust, which
was the significant name given to worth
less or positively injurious substances put
into cloth or food to add weight or bulk
to what in either was really valuable. It
is this devils dust which is the most
vexatious trouble of our times Assum-
ing all the protean shapes of the arch
fend whose name it bears, it meets us
and cheats us at every step which marks
our earthly progress. We purchase it
from our grocers with our cofees, teas
and sugars. We catch its unwholesome
favor in the beverage administered for
our regalement or the cure of our infirm-
tiles. When -four is scarce, devils
dust becomes factor in the bread we
eat, and, under almost ali circumstances,
it is component part of the clothes we
wear.
Psychologists have no difficulty in de-
monstrating that to the food partaken Of
mankind are largely indebted for their
mental and physical characteristics, and
in his "Sartor Resartus'' Carlyle under
took to prove that clothes have certain
moral, political and religious influence
which must not be overlooked when we
attempt to study the philosophy of civiliz-
ton. But both Psychologist and philos-
opher must, in this connection, take into
consideration the quantity of devils dust
consumed respectively in our aliment and
our apparel. That must be discounted
in all proper estimates of the effects OF
food, and the responsibility we derive
from clothing.
In this country the devils DIST in raj
ment generally assumes the form of shod-
dy, and, while it proves a curse to the
government and the taxpayers, it is
especially the cause Of curses to the
wearers. Whenever an inferior article
is palmed off as something superior, there
devils dust is employed in Satan's service,
and this, no matter what form of false
pretence "the aforesaid may assume.
False laces, false jewels, false hair, and
false compilations will all be counted
among the "falses" by transcendental
spectators, though it is but fair to say
that by graceful apologists each in its
turn has been indicated.
When the farmer buys devils dust in
stead of the artificial manures he had
counted on, he not unfrequently justifies
himself in selling it again in this delusive
form or that. Thus we find trash Of one
kind or other disposed of in woolsacks
and cotton bales, and thus the devils
dust, in its far-reaching ramifcations, be-
comes the corrupter of the mildest and
least designing Of the whole human family.
In the adulteration Of edibles and pota-
bles the chemists of England and France
hold the place of prominence. They can
take alcohol and reduce it to any desired
form Of rum, brandy, gin or wine. OF
beef's fat they can make butter; of cotton
seed oil the finest brands of olive oil, and
of inferior starch the highest grades Of
sugar.
It is computed by those who are thor
oughly acquainted with the subject that
no less than seventy articles which enter
into the common consumption of the
average Frenchman and Englishmar, as
eatables and drinkables, are regularly and
Systematically adulterated. There is no
end to the devices employed. Earth,
mari, sand, chalk, salts of various de-
scriptons, and water, are all in turn
brought into requisition to add tc the
weight and bulk of food entities which
command attention as objects of general
desire. Larder and cellar both suffer,
and with them suffer the stomach and
the brain. To correct these evils severe
laws should be established and correct
teachings instituted.
But though our centennial land OF
glorious memory is comparatively free
from common food authorizations, it is
just now subjected to q sort OF mental
devils dust, which is terribly affective
and demoralizing. We refer to the base
coinage of slang which has become the
currency of thought to the fast editor and
average reporter, and with which he de-
files the language of his country. Let
every true man Of taste and intelligence
pronounce against this accursed coinage
with his loudest protest. We have all
enough of sins to answer for without per-
hitting our speech to be corrupted by
reckless hair-brained adventures.