Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-04-17
THE ABSENCE OF VALOR.

practice to which he plead guilty, said
''The astonishment would be all the
greater because the accused is well known
to be the reverse of coward. He would
probably face physical danger as readily
as any other man in the community. But
it is valor of another kind that is needed
to enable man to stand by his honest
convictions and take the consequences
unfinchingly, no matter what may be
their character. F"
This is rather a strange and unique
statement when it is reflected that in this
community the chance to show physical
courage has never been improved by
those who have been in the same situa-
ton as Mr.. Arnold, and the presence of
any officer in any town or neighborhood
has been characterized as terrorizing the
people and prostrating business. But,
then, this common, physical, brute cour-
age is not what is wanted here, and it is
well that it is not, because it could not
be furnished on demand and as a home
industry it has never been en-
couraged. Our leanings have always been
in favor of free trade, and still are, but in
this one industry of courage the Territory
needs protection, and when physical
courage has become of such a rank
growth as this "valor of another kind
that is needed to enable a man to stand
by his honest convictions and take the
consequences unfinchingly, no matter
what may be their character" the pro-
lection may be withdrawn, as from
present indications all those who needed
the tariff will have gone to pastures
new. But what is this subtle essence,
this finer valor which seems to make
those who possess it invisible? What a
great pity that those who possess it are
not among us showing us the beauty
and excellence of the consequence
OF possessing this courage! Doubtless it
is of the same nature, but of a far SUI
perior quality, as the courage which
prompted Vasco de CANA and Christie
pher Columbus to sail over unknown seas
IN search OF new ways to the golden East
or like that which prompted fernando
Cortez to conquer Mexico, for this finer
valor seems to turn to Mexico. What the
consequences to the world at large would
be from having this different valor come
into court and admit what it had done
and say that it stood there to be punished
or to be praised, Indifferent to either,
cannot be told, as no one seems
to get hold of the true idea of the yalor.
much less of the men who possess it. 1t
was suggested by one gentleman that the
gentleman whose name stands at the
head of the NeWS as editor had it in great
abundance; so great in fact that he had
gone TO England with his different valor
to encourage Mr.. Gladstone and the Min
istry in the impending conflict with Rus
sia. This valor must have had the de-
sired effect, as Russia seems to have
conceded to England's demands. But
who can contemplate without horror what
would have been the issue had this same
valor been on the side of the Bear! Pos
slbly Europe would have been
again inundated with barbarian hordes
from the East. 1t was not so, and wes-
tern civilization should sing 1e Deuna
that If In fho
generally thought that this valor is only
possessed by about two per cent, and
that they are so fond of it that they hide
it, lest they cannot carry it from place to
place, and show what a fine thing it is.
Can it be that this same valor lets mems
wives 60 to Jail for contempt of court to
show how inferior woman is to man, and |
that women only possess this coarse
courage of which Mr.. Arnold has
made such terrible display? This diff
ferent valor is doubtless just such valor as
Adam displayed when he said the
woman tempted me and did eat, and
which the world has so much and so long
1t seems a peculiar product of
Utah or Utopia, we know not which, and
IS what common, ordinary men term
,owardice, and is of a kind which brings
and disgrace upon the Nor
mons, and which makes the ninety-eight
Der cent. blush to think of the actions of
he two per cent. 1t is nonsense to talk
II any kind Of valor when the men who
re supposed to possess it are continually
unning and hiding from the officers of
he law, and dare not meet stranger for
EAR he be deputy. If the men of Utah
Tho are in the same position as Mr.. Ar
old was had more of his physical cour- c
ge, things would soon be in better con-
ltlon here than they are, and there e
-ould not be so many absentee land
'rds' as there now are. Mr. Arnold is \
lost reproached by those who have not his
alor, and not by those who have more or Y
etter courage than he and it takes some
tile valor to meet the abuse which is
eing heaped upon him and to which the
eoOS is quite addicted.
Z
How to Succeed.
Ny son, there's nothino so rnvctor; n