Smyrna times., 1879-09-10
Misrepresentation.

/
There is in this, as there is in every Other
community (for there is very little difference
the world over in this particularly loose view
and especially loose practice pertaining tC
| certain kinds of property, especially when
misplaced. So weak are the moral conviction,
IN this regard that it has passed into provert
ana repeated with the hippancy of an idle
ejaculation that umbrellas are common
property, viz: that it is a matter of little
difference If you do take some one else's with
out returning IL; or more common still. OF
taking a new and leaving an old one in the
rack. Only two or three weeks ago a party
went into a place Of business and set an
umbrella down at the door for only minute.
There were but two or three persons (who were
know who came in the store during the time
and yet when the first party resumed the street
an old umbrella was found where q good one
had been left.
We know of two cases where flexible bacl,
| singing books have been lost in which The
owners name was plainly written and the
nnder could not mistake, but they never come
to the owners. And yet, this is Hwhite" along
slde OF more recent case of deliberately y
taxing hymn book from the book rack of a
pew and retaining it. We cannot understand
what use such person could make of n bvmn
Dook, for It would puzzle the crucible of the
most sklllful chemist to detect the grains of
worth of any such moral composition.
some two weeks ago the velocipede tone of
VIZ III but WOTlu 10 SIeall OF one of
our little boys was taken and its whereabouts
unknown for several days. The bow who
puriOlned 1t was directed by his mother NOT to
go In the street with it. The little follow
observed the command strictly for time. then
ne TOOK wider range, and finally under the
temptation for good ride, whirled around the
square This venture fixed the business: the
missing vehicle was Unidentified before he
mad half completed his circuit. To show the
turpltude OF the mother she denied any other
ownership than that of her child and onlv con-
sented to give 1t up when threatened with an
oIncer, remarklng that she ''did not want any
trouble about it."
Among the colored people the ideas of the
right OF property from the moral stand pOint
are still less defined. With a large number, the
crime OF petty theft in being found out Other
wise, there is not a cornpunction. And for this
our housekeepers arc themselves largely to
plane. They condone the guilt, for fear of
little trouble themselves, by letting the guilty
go unmolested by law. Hardly one case in a
hundred OF house-lifting is ever punished and
l wlth thlr encouragement, there are many
nousenold servants who keep it up life time
a rlghtfui enforcement of the law las was con-
templated in its enactment) would eradicate
this annoying evil.
We want better and stricter ideas dissemina-
ted in regard to the rights of personal proDertv
and it must begin with the child through the
parents. We make the remark advfsedlv
when we say that many parents are reponsible
for the vague ideas of their children on the
appropriation of property. The lesson should
begin with their first play things, and right on
they should be clearly taught the eract line
between naea'1 and tuan. There is really an
impression in the minds of many peoplc es-
pecially of the lower classes that what thew
find belongs to them; unless, perchance. the
owner should find it and proUe his property.
A short time before Chief Justice E,ilnen,s
decease, q case Of this character was before the
court ut Dover. A man had htched his horse
on bleak. wintry night covering il with his
buffalo robe for protection The high wind
lifted il and blew it into the street where ,s- a
man in passing found and Appropriated II
Suit was brought for It's recoyery and in his
charge to the jury the Chief Justice said
IF should be. passing along tho street of a
dark night and should stumble on an umbrolIa
or any other property, have a perfect ri@bt
to pick it up and carry it home Int fbe
moment should think Of appropriately Al Az
nay own use, fioculd be IN the eyes Of t1e a,o
a MET"
Ownership inbGrss only in inheritance oia |
or purchase, and whoever has properiv ~
any other way (where nm ownar can he
found has IL in violation of both the moral orS
statute law. We say again there is too m,nI,
looseness on this subject and much of Il ar;Saa
from want of proper parental instruction -