The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-12
SIGNS OF q TIMES:


SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
Messrs. Knevals g. Ransom, of New York,
of which firm he was formerly a member,
briefly announce that con the 18th inst. Mr..
Chester A. Arthur will resume the practice of
the law, and connect himself with our firm as
counsel" This Mr.. Chester A. Arthur, six
weeks ago, was the chief executive of 60, 000,-
900 of,people, representing one of the greatest
and most intelligent nations of the earth.
This week he goes back to the people, and
mingles with the men of affairs, taking his
share of the burden Of business, and asking a
place among his ~neighbors. Could anything
better exemplify our democracy In all the
worlds history citizenship was never more ex-
allied than is that of this people.
Nobility among us is no more
than the patent of honesty, accessible
to all. The divinity that doth hedge a king
Is round about every dignifed, self-respecting
American. The man temporarily lifted out
VI Vic llOcstlC IL OAtiLCAcutP tS
evenly backin the old place when his term of
official promotion is ut an end. He carries all
his honors with him and grows in the esteem
Of the people from the very fact that he so ap-
preciates their worth as to find a place among
them, shoulder to shoulder. This readiust-
ment ought not and does not cheaper the
great honor attaching to the presidential Of
6ce, but seems only to exalt the masses
to that decent appreciation Of their dignity
essential to a proper administration of their
functions as factors in the government. Their
responsibility is thus made more apparent;
their respect for authority increased, in that
their personal part in the work of governing
is revealed. In no other country, perhaps,
could such a thing happen. But here it pro-
vokes but passing comment, and will soon be
forgotten. 1t is an incentive to good citizen
ship. Out Of the ranks our leaders are
chosen, to go back to the ranks when their
time is over.
A~ la tAO AZ
element of large sums of money which causes
men hitherto anxious for popular good will to
become calmly Indifferent to public opinion? Or
is it that they have lived lives Of hypocrisy in
social as well as a financial way, and only show
their true qualities when the crime is discov-
cred and concealment of their real natures no
longer necessary. President Riddle, of the
broken Penn Bank, of Pittsburg, was a man
who stood so high in religious, charitable and
social circles that his connection with any dis
honorable transaction was regarded in the
community as impossible. Nevertheless, Mr..
Riddle is now on trial in Pittsburg, charged
with defrauding the depositors of the bank of
their hard-earned savings, amounting to some
thing over q million dollars. Whatever
the findings of the court may be, no
one familiar with the facts can doubt that he
is guilty. Had he been the excellent man he
formerly appeared, and as DESTROYS of public
esteem, the consciousness of this change in
his standing would, it would seem, crush him
ct the earth with shame. But no; Mr.. Riddle
steps %jauntily into court, clothed in immacu-
late attire, and with smiles on his face. As
the local papers describe him-"cleanly shaver,
and his long, curly hair brushed up from his
low, broad forehead, he stepped through the
crowd as eomposedly as though threading his
way through a throng at church or theater.
AS he passed in, he bowed and returned pleas
antly the salutes of friendsand acquaintances.'
Such a spectacle as this-and the like is by no
means infrequent, as, witness a parallel case
in New York, now in progress-is calculated
to raise the wonder if there is such a thing as
conscience in business life. Should Mr.. Riddle
escape legal punishment, asitis thought he may
do through a technicality, the poor Of Pitts
burg will have more justification than ever
science, but no justice between man andman.
lS~GERsoLL's theology, and even his
code of morality, is wonderfully and f~earfully
constructed. While d~ecrying the awful vim
dictiyeness of scriptural punishment he CON
structs another even more terrible. With
him there is a punishment even more relent-
less than any ever dreamed of by Calvin. In
his own words he depicts it thus:
"For every crime you commit you must
answer to yourself and to the one you iniure.
And if you nave ever clothed another with
woe you will never be quite as happy as
though you had not done that thing. No for
giveness by the gods. Eternal, inexorable,
everlasting justice so far as nature is con-
cerned. That is what | believe in.n