New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-11
IS 1T BESTs

That was a thoroughly manly, albeit de-
spondent tone, in which MIR. John Welsh Of
Philadelphia recently resented SOHO unjust
criticisms upon the conduct OF the Centennial
Board of Finance, OF which he has been the
singularly faithful and brilliantly successful
President. "Thc general drift of the article
lie said, "and especially the closing paragraph.
"if yon will but place yourself in my position,
would not be very agreeable to you, and the
"more so if, abandoning every private inter-
"est, you had for four years devoted yourself
"to a work such as the International Exhibi-
"tion, with determination that it should not,
for want of any personal sacrifice, fall short
"of the character which the honor of the
country demanded, and which devotion and
" sacrifice have resulted most successfully and
"elicted even your own warm commentator.
at is the misfortune of the present day, no
"matter how pure ones motives may be and
chow carefully ones steps may be taken in
"the discharge of grave trust, that the press
"will, without proper survey OF the whole
80 case, pronounce its anathemas and make the
"world believe that they arr deliberately and
"justly uttered. / hoped for better treatment
" from The =. But disappointment is
capt to be a companion through life, and
"when such cases occur as that of which
snow write, they tend to make one better
satisfied that its end cannot be very lar on"
Mr. Welsh is not alone in the feeling he 30
forcibly expresses In business and In politics
our best men are often prompted to the same
complaint. The frequent assaults upon the
private character, or the business integrity, or
the intellectual honesty OF men occupying
positions of trust, and the eagerness OF many
to believe dishonorIng charges without evil
dence, are symptoms of an unhealthy DISPOSE
ton of the public mind. 1t may be urged that
bitterness prevails among all classes In conse-
duence of the reckless course OF some IN high
places. 1t may be natural for community
that has suffered much in the past to condemn
without hearing all against whom the voice OF
envy, malignity, OF ignorance may be lifted,
but is il best? What is character worth If not
to furnish prompt answer to every prin'a fdcie
case. and how shall confidence ever be estab-
lished in good things if the first breath Of
scandal is to put upright people on the defen-
siyef Is it best TO foster a system the natural
consequence of which would be to place the
achievements of lifetime at the mercy OF any
reckless or malignant criticf
The power to destroy exists with the many;
the power to create with the few. TO create
and develop into living power may exhaust
the capacity and bring into play the skilled
labor of youth, manhood, and old age, before
the cherished desire is attained; but the work
of destruction may take but moment. This
is true in the world Of art, of science, and Of
letters 1t is no less true in business. Men at
the head of great business enterprises often
have reason to feel it most keenly. There is
a growing tendency in the community to strike
at men and institutions that have risen above
the average bound of prosperity AS the quail
tiles that achieve marked success are not under
stood by the majority, who are unable to appre-
eiate and apply them in their own lives, so the
measures which successful men adopt and
apply to the government of their own bust
ness and to institutions under their care are
often bitterly condemned, and the very mate
rial that has been used in the past, and IS
now being used to build up this prosperity, is
declared by these critics inadequate and mis-
placed. Men who have successfully carried
out great enterprises, and who stand in posi-
tons of great responsibility, rarely have the
sympathy of their fellows. Their policy VIII
often be disputed, so that the laOors OF sucn
men are twOfOld; first, TO pursue the WISE
course second, to pull after them those VINO
can neither see nor appreciate. Anxeues
and doubts such men have; fears which some
times make their hearts stand still; but what
makes them despise much of the public erlt.
cism with which the press and society abound
is the fact that real dangers or vital errors are
not touched upon, while immaterial points, or
perhaps their most prudent actions, are saw
agely asSailed.
Wholesale and partisan denunciation is fast
becoming q peculiar habit of the American
people. We are reaping tho reward OF IL In
| the mistrust which burdens the very AIR we
breathe. Are we to have better times IN
business when one seems to vie with anotner
| in doing all in his power to break up Wha'
confidence remainsf Can we have better tunes
in politics when the most faithful public ser
want, after a lifetime of honest work, Is IN
stantly dscredited the moment some irresponsi'
BILE person breathes SANDER against hint