The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-01-09
Principle and the Publican.

frlnclple is the Keystone OF moral lnteg-
rity. Upon this virtue hinges all the fun
damental elements that characterize man.
Kind in their daily routine of duties to self
and others. Most men have some natural
qualifications for usefulness-some more
than others. but it is offset by besetting
unsteadiness of purpose. Self-cOnquest
lies at the base of all other noble achieve
ments. Mind. manner. heart and will, reg
ulate the intrinsic value of any action ema-
mating from the one or the other or of COM
binatiOn of the whole of them.
A man with limited means. upon whose
time and purse others have a legitimate
claim, meets all object that calls for assist
ance. His impulse is to relieve the dis
tress apparent in the object; an impulse
from heart naturally generous and alive
to all corporal necessities and aff1iectiOn in
others. and he does that which reason and
justice do not dictate by using means not
his own to crafty an impulse laud
able in itself. Now. shall we say this
man did self sacrificing act to lend help
ing hand to others? Upon the broad plane
of principle and justice the answer is no.
And why? For the simple reason that he
used the means of others. He goes beyond
his means to mitigate apparent misfortune
to the exclusion of all other responsibilities;
and the result is that others entitled TO and
dependent upon his care must suffer in pro-
portion to his thOughtleSsness. The prin-
ciple applicable to an action of this kind is
the same as if the man had only ten cents
with which to buy bread for his table and
spends it for drink of whisky, with the
difference in impulses to regulate the ac
tions in favor of the first.
A man rObs me of my purse, l tell him he
is taking my all, and leaving me nothing to
buy my dinner; and his generous impulse is
to return dollar for that purpose. In an
other case and like conditions, the robber
refuses the return of dollar. Now what
are the motives governing these two men in
these two transactions? We may suppose
the first having known the pangs of hunger,
his sympathy stretches out towards his vic
tim a safeguard against immediate want;
while the second thought only of self to the
exclusion of all other objects. One would
say it would be fine point well drawn out
to distinguish grain of principle in either
of these examples; but such is not the case,
for principle is only word, the use of
which enables us to distinguish between the
just and unjust. Was it not a sympathy
which sprung from the underlying sense
and the fitness of the situation which called
forth the impulse of the robber to return
me the part of my own for a purpose spe-
cifc in itself? Undoubtedly it was. But
not so in the second case, for it demon
strated the fact that he was incapable. or
unwilling, to comprehend the situation and
Al, ~
consequently his want of the principles of
justice.
Very many men 60 through life living
lie and fraud, and these are the ones who
practice a principle of charity and good
works on a plan peculiarly and specifically
their own; for there is no particle OF the
God-like virtue in it. They proclaim their
good actions from the hOuSetOps that all
may hear, see and have knowledge of them.
II they meet a supplant for aims of what
ever kind. they take care some one shall
know it who will circulate the knowledge
of the act-so that it will bring credit and
profit to themselves street corners, as
it were, in tones sufficiently loud to
attract notice of all passers by. And yet
such men are often leaders of community
that may pride itself on the purity of it's So
ciety and who subverts its own will to the
detriment of others simply to pander to the
tastes and wishes of a less deserving OBJ
ject. It is such natures as these that soil
the bright spots in nature and cause blush
of shame to mantle the cheek of the more
pure minded because of the knowledge that
human nature can stoop so low as to call
into play the essence of Gods virtue to
pander to their desires for worldly gain.
To do the best one can. one must mOrtify
the evil passions, root out selfish desires.
and foster the aims of all that is good in
self and others. Hate no one and help all
others in your power, and that power will
come to all with the exercise of desire and
will. j.