The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1879-03-13
COunterfelts.

1t Is by the value of the genuine cOii
or paper that the counterfeit or the
forgery deceiYes. The resemblance
simulated in the worthless imitation
| gives 1t currency. And this currency
IL testimony to the sterling character
of the coin cOunteTfeited or the excel.
lence of the paper, which is forged
There enters into no mans mind the
thought of depreciating the true be
cauSe the false deceiVes.
| There are human commercial. finan.
cial, industrial, social, political and 10.
ligiOuS cOUnterfeits-and too many OF
them-in circulation. They paSS from
circle TO circle for many years unex.
| posed, and sometimes arU never detect
ed. But the peril of discovery is ALWAYS
imminent. The art, however eOnsuIn-
mate, of the social counterfeitar is not
always sufficient to hide his uglinesS
When the truth comts OLt with a
startling effect upon the community
the very virtues of the derelict are
cited against him, and even the good
things he said or did make him but 81
many counts in the unfaYOrable YER
dict. When base metallic coin is de-
tected the skillfulneSs of the work
mamship IS denounced with admira-
tisn, but the value of the genuine gold
does not suffer in mems estimation,
and the aSsayer notes and admits how
many grains of actual metal may be
found mixed with the cheating alloy.
Though even those genuine grains are
part of the deceitful composition, and
the very part which gave it the power
to deceive, their value is not denied.
But when the human counterfeit is
unmasked, whatever there may be OF
judicial mind" in what is termed
public opinion" is dismissed. Sum
mary Judgment is entered;not only up
on the derelict, but unfaYOrable to the
whole class against which he has sim
ned. The man who brings reprOach
upon his associates is to them as a
counterfeit coin Is to the honest mon
ey. But while the genuine money
loses not value by the exposure Of
the false, and the counterfeit attest the
value of the true, the human falsiGer
brings unjust dIscredit on the whole OF
the class he has abused To say "in
haste all men are liars" is the sudden
exclamation. All merchants are Sus-
pacted, all iinancierS doubt d, sOciety
and reSpcctability are a sham, pOliti-
clans are selfish imposters, and reli-
giOuS bodies are only congregations of
hypOcriteS. 1t Is not meant that those
who stop to think say this. But the
people who stop to think are not nu-
merOuS enough to block the way when
the thOughtleSS are rushing 10 Il sud
den conclusion.
Integrity is tho basis of commerce.
finance and industry. And il honesty
of purpose We're not the rule instead
of the exception the world muIt, per
force, stand still. The confidence of
man in man is the life of human inter
course. The amOuntOf this confidence
is something wonderful and the hue
and cry when II is betrayed is teStimO-
ny to its general value and safety.
The confession Of religious faith and
conviction Is one of the strongest
cOnYerSatiYe influences in society.
The fact that man is respected by
his fellows in whatever line of life
he may De, or that he is the trusted
member of religious and human sOcie-
ties. Is fact in his favor. Public
confidence is amOrdl reserve 10y which
his promises are redeemed and his
failures are excused. When the hypO-
crite is detected, whether social, com
mercial or religious. punishment
should be visited on the deTelict. But
depreciation and sighting contempt
should not be uttered against the pure
gold which he has debased. In this
respect, not newspapers only, but the
common voice of public criticism
should he cautious. Unjust reflection
upon the good, and the implied sneer
that TeSpectability, integrity and re-
ligiOn are only shams, are not only
unjust tO the honest and true, but
are IA defense to the rogue. For
such Il sweeping condemnation is, in
effect the denial of the existence OF
truth, honesty, morality, and piety;
and the assertion that knaYes exposed
are only worse than other men in the
fact that they are exposed: This is
view Of human nature % which no
man can assent without including
himself the bad ayeTage.-Philddel-
phiI Ledger.