Smyrna times., 1884-10-01

lions of bushels TO be carried over to
another year. With these big crops
prices must rule low and the farmers
are likely to complain of want of
prosperity just the same as do the manu-
facturers and merchants. and for the
same cause-mOre good than markets.
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SIGNING PETITIONs.-Some wears
ago the leading bank officer of this
town said to citizen, whose name he
saw on a mans petition asking for a
certain personal favor, Did you really
think, when you signed your name re-
commencing him, that he was really a
lit person for the Office" The man ad-
dressed said since he had come to think
about it, he did not, but he had signed
because he did not like to refuse.
Then" said the first speaker, Hfor the
want OF little courage, you were will
ling to be dishonest with yourself"
Inc fact is that people are more dis
honest with their own sentiment. in
putting their names on paper than
with perhaps anything else they do.
As a matter outside of their strict busi-
ness pursuits, they become subjects of
an individual or public pressure. and
allow greater power than their own
will to control them, without the prom
er consideration where it will lead to
They do not weigh the responsibility
OF their own act. That men do not
know what they are signing often is
illustrated in the following incident in
one of DIR. Ireneus Primes recent let
ters:
The Rev. DR.. Sprague was the most
beloved and distinguished minister in
the city Of Albany. He had NOT an
enemy in the world, and the man ubo
wished i'll to him must have baon y
very Dau man: One day, the subject
oi signing petitions being under remark.
gentleman offered to bet that he
could get the genuine signature of ten
reputable citizens Of Albany to a nett
Uioh TO the Governor that he would
cause Dr. Sprague to be hung. His bet
Delng taken, he went to work and Inv
nook ana crook, chiefly bv crook he
won the bet. Elated by his success he
Iheh offered to bet that he couId nro-
cure Dr. Sprague's signature to tba
same petition, but it was THOUGHT tbis
was carrying the joke too far. and bis
oHer was not taken up"
The ease with which signatures cop
be obtained to petitions to pardon the
worst criminals is well known and tbev
come sometimes with such force tbat
only Governors Of the STRONGEST por,,o.
can resist, and some of the best prison |
Officers have come to the conclusion
that the pardoning power for this rea-
son should be abolished.
In the application for political Offices
II Is well known and remarked nno,
tnat men entirely unfit for the position
Ihey ask can get signatures almost
without number. In the same wav IN
the matter Of licenses to sell liouor ,,o,,
put their names to them certainly with
out thinking what they are askino tho
r...r
court To DO, namely, to grant this ,non
" i.ense to take mans money with
out giving him an equivolept for If
Ihe signer would know if he reflected
moment that the spirits he autbor
izes another to spend his money for h.
Is better of without; that in most casos
the money ought rather to purcboso
iood and clothing for his wife and chill
afen. lie knows that every dollar
mat Is spent at the bar as the resuIt of
MS signature to the license application
Is worse than wasted that the habituoi
user OF 1t becomes poorer and he i.
only thrusting him deeper in his pover-
W; ne knows that he is causing tho
"lie mental agony if not kicks and
bruises he knows that he is lowerino
'ne social scale Of the wife and her
IN the community: he knows
700 that he is aiding the man 70
: course Of degradation and crime
and yet he signs the application for aIi
ms. In view Of these and hundred
'ther bad results, can lie stand IN he
ore his own conscience and answo,.
Why he did IL? /