The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-24
THE FRUIT OF Rad EXAMPLE

fuiness a distinguished chief magistrate has
been stricken down and the country thrown
into a state of mourning rarely witnessed.
But no sooner had the new ruler become
installed in office before another of these de-
mented characters visited the White House
with murdcrous intent. Then the muir
derous assaSsins are attacked by others Of
equally cranky nature and there seems
to be no end to the number or exploits
of this peculiar class. Jay Gould
manipulating his stocks and bonds on Wall
street is also threatened, and in fact it looks
as if no one in position or authority at the
present time were safe from the determine
tons of these miserable fanatics and luna
ties. In view of these circumstances the
question naturally arises, as there method
in such Madness" or if genuine are there
any existing causes for the same in the
peculiar condition of affairs in the country
at present? We must say in answer to the
first enquiry that the facts seem to indicate
that the phase of madness assumed is very
money-making craze generally, and such
as is calculated to bring handsome return
to the "crank" in the event of success
Guiteau's dream was political prefer
ment, and Colonel Wells in his let
ter to Gould demanded fortune as the
price of the great Spectators life. All
such things have meaning, are indeed out
groupings of something below the surface of
events, and something too, which, when
understood will be found to be key to
many of the political and business opera
tons of the day. These so-calcd "cranks"
have been the drcamers heretofore, the men
who have been disappointed in literature
or politics, but who are unfortunately men
ola certain degree of education and con-
scquently capable of thinking and devising
schemes. They are not confined to the two
or three who have shown themselves, who
have won an unenviable fame as assassins
or blackmailers, but the fact is patent that
their name is legion. A history is
told Of one of these poor
unfortunates every time the press
chronicles the untimely suicide of this or
that man. In truth it has become notori-
Gus and almost heart-rending that from
one end Of our seemingly prosperous
country to another, hundreds of our young
and older men are being stricken with
what the world terms lunacy but is in fact
only the legitimate outgrowth of the bold
and daring speculation and adventure Of
the times. 1t is q social axiom that the
prevailing thought and custom of the hour
are impressed upon tho citizen, and these
many manifestations of "crankiness," I'M
soundness, attempts to become suddenly
rich or powerful, witnessed within the last
few months are sad commentaries on the
time. We are living too fast. We are
grasping as people too grcedily
after riches and those in high
places are setting examples that
are dangerous to the growing genera
ton or the easily imprcssible of mankind.
No age has ever known such an era of specu-
lation, such pioneer spirit such DISPOSE
ton to reach after and experience the I'M
known. From one end of America to the
other wild, unbridled, daring enterprise has
characterized all dealings for months past
and the veriest dolt has caught the fever.
Every one wants to be placed in easy
circumstances without labor and dreams
over the experiences of such men as Van
dcrbilt, Gould, Mackay, Flood, Fair and
others, until the almost insane idea takes
possession of the brain that all this
wealth is as much his as anothers, that
position. socially or politically is u
game of might and chance, and
thereupon develops either into the
train robber the bank thief, the as
sasSin, or, wanting in brutal courage and
cursed by melancholy, becomes the de-
jcctcd and disappointed suicide. The false
thories of the Socialist, the Nihilist the
Communist, have, lent their assistance
towards dcpraving the bcliefand thought
ofthe time and society on this and the
other side of the waters is in wretchcd
state. II we would remedy these evils If
we would stop this harum-scarum philos-
ophy of the time, and bring matters to
practical, sensible standpoint, we must
inaugurate measures that will render i'm
possible the reckless careers of adventures
and daring spectators, policy either in
law or thought that will teach men to feel
that there is no.cxcellencc without labor, that
all success in short that is permanent or
worth working for, springs alone from
labor, We are in tho midst of troublous
times, and good men should discourage
and check, ifpos,iblc, the disastrous ten
denotes everywhere so prevalent Encour-
age legitimate toll disparage all efforts to
rush into wealth or power, and in this way
put check on the growing "crankiness"
OF the age, q craze indeed that has infested
literature, society, art, business and poll
ties, and that continually shows its eleven
hoof in isms, deialcations, suicide or crime
ofother character, A movement looking
to the correction of such evils cannot be
too widespread or too quickly set ON foot:
otherwise we may expect an indefinite
multiplication of the Guiteaus, tie Wellcs,
Masons, and others of the same brood.
Death OF Edwin scott Bower.
Npginrlnv nffar manu- ,1,x. - ..lg....