Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-09-16
DISHON ESTY.


that the world is growing better, but we
do not remember time when dishonesty
was so prevalent and so popular as it is
to-day. There has not been a time when
there have been so many gigantic defal-
cations, so many monstrous stealings, so
many unnecessary bankruptcies, so much
political chicanery, 50 much mischief of
every kind, as there is now. Some how
it has become fashionable to steal, and
popular to defraud, and the whole atmos-
phere is vitiated with the poison of dis
honesty.
Men who have stood we'll in commun-
ity and who are natural honest, have
Ventured to take one step in wickedness
and have brought up in shame and dis
grace. Others whose financial affairs
have been mixed have, without cause,
gone down in bankruptcy and swindled
their creditors out of their honest dues
others have taken this means to hide or
smuggle under their property, till such
time as they could get their discharge"
and then have struck out anew on the
money they have stolen from creditors.
But this unfortunate law has been re-
pealed, and one temptation is removed.
Others have made way with funds en-
trusted to their care, and have thus
abused confidence and lurched innocent
parties. In the political world there is
great corruption and dishonesty. Men
who have been put in places of trust and
responsibility have made the place a
place for thieving and wrongs. They
have defrauded the state and government,
and considered their robbery legitimate.
Those seeking places of trust have with
unblushing dishonesty sought to buy
themselves into Office. Some of them
have debauched the public morals by
hiring paid agents to distribute money
Ia their behalf buying votes.
The evils limited at above have borne
fruit, and there are thousands to-day
who do not hesitate to declare that the
government should 60 into bankruptcy,
by refusing to pay its honest debts.
Some would pay government bonds in
deprecated paper, which is partial re-
pudiation; others would punish the
creditors of the government by unlawful
taxation.
A large faction to day is plotting and
scheming, how to divide up the property
Of the country among the poor. by TAX
ing the property of those who have been
fortunate enough to accumulate it and
distributing it pro rata. There are other
political factions whose principles are
based on dishonest notions entirely, and
they are petted and honored by those
who wish to ride into political place
through their votes.
In Massachusetts to-day, one man
whose reputation is most unsavory is
calling around him great support by
pandering to their prejudices and by de.
ceiving them in regard to questions o.
right and wrong. In Maine, the othel
day. Eugene Hale. the brightest New
England member of the House of Rep
resentatives, was beaten, by the sam,
elements that have become the victims o
dishonest doctrines. And all about thi
moral blight is falling on the people
We hope the generalization will no
grow, but it stands all good citizens il
hand to try to stem the tide of dishon
esty. The man who commits wron,
should suffer for it, and should be s.
held In public esteem as to make hir
realize that his crime is crime. Til
odium of respectable community shoul
be made the living, fearful punishment
that follows every evil doer it is ofte
punishment more severe than fines O
prison. This is time when moral me
and Christian men should step to tn
front and stop, if possible. the degreda
ton of the moral sentiments of th
people.
LONDON, Sept. ia frightful CO.