San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-03-25
PEOPLES COLUMN.
"FIrst Pure, Then Peaceablc.,

shiS oSt 'AhD "h' PO'NJ PN"p'S we
insist on ignoring or covering up tin
offense, 80 as TO "save appearances
in the circle or community in which
they move. And yet what could b'
more dishonest, what moro short
sighted, than such course?
1t is an inaexible law of nature
that retribution over follows crime
There is absolutely no escape, no ex
ception in some form or other il
never fails to overtake the offender
And though whole communities may
Join hands to screen him, they only
thereby become participators of his
guilt, place themselves on the same
level and share the same bad repute
All in vain may you "cry peace, peace,
when there is no peace. But first
purge yourselves of all completely
with crime, by utterly repudiating
and adequately furnishing it - then,
and then only, may you expect real
peace to follow. "First pure, then
peaceable
Right at hand we have IN illustra-
ton in q recent occurrence. When,
on last Christmas morning, the edit.
ors of the FREE PRESS were assaulted
in their office, and in the building of
which it forms part were repeatedly
shot at with murderous intent-what
at first followed? There was man
fest disposition-as matter of pol
icy, we are bound to prcsume--to ig-
moro or belittlo the outrage. On
the short sighted idea of which we
have spoken, there was q strong mo-
tive to this course. San Marcos had
long stood fair, and been boosted of
by her people, as town where law
and order prevailed. The FREE PRESS
was well and widely known as an old
institution of tho place, and as having
an unimpeachable reputation as a
good friend and faithful worker for
tho best interests of town and county.
1t UaS, therefore, not little awk-
ward to publish to the world such an
outrage in such a place and on such
an object. We doubt not we were
blamed for not being willing to be
offered" to save the reputation of tho
community. A modest idea, truly
What! o man to be hunted and shot
at like wild beast lin his own prem
ises, and be expected to keep still "
to save the reputation of the COM
Oh, no! we are far from
being SO self-sacrifcing Us all that !
On the contrary, we hold that every
community owes protection to it's law
abiding citizens, and failing in giving
It, is roprehonsible, and should be
acid to strict accountability for
such failure. So far from shrinking
md Sinking in such case, every
rood citizen should make common
cause in behalf of law and order, and
stand firm and be outspoken for the
light. Thus, and thus only, can the
air fame of q community under such
circumstances be vindicated and
And such, we are glad to say, has
n large measure turned out to be the
,ase here, in the matter referred to. |
The thinking people of town and
country appear to have reached the
light conclusion on this subject, and
he Grand Jury of the county has but
'oiced the general conviction, in their
hiding of assault with intent to kill.
Thus the foolish and wicked policy
If seeking to cover up crime in order
o save the reputation of commun-
ty is exploded, and the true and
loLest policy of crying aloud and
pairing not, and ropudiNting 1t in
aith and practice, stands practically
For if now, the deed I'M
Ter consideration, which has necessa-
lily gone to the world, should at any
ime be quoted against the reputation
# San Marcos and Hays county, their
is ut hand in the fact that,
S shown by the action of the Grand
ury and the manifest drift of public
ointment, they properly characterize
uch crimes, and commend them to
UGH just punishment rs the law has
provided for them.
The New York Observer makes the
GLOWING just observations on the
,roblem of the true relations be-
ween capital and labor, and reaches,
4 our opinion, the true solution Us
blows
The existence of one wrong does
lot Justify the commission Of anoth-
Z wrong. and the tyranny of capital
) 70 verse than the tyranny of labor
II this labor problem
; settled at all it will be by rational
means. and not 10y boycotts and As
aults upon peaooable citizens, and
he Decentralization Of trade and IN
Iustry. The real and only practical
nlniinn Of this rrohlcm We necl not