The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-01-06
caANks IN the PRESENT DAv
Tiscy Are Of All Kinds, From tho Harmless
Bore to the Criminal,

This is not only the day of the mod.
ern ]unatic asylum OF the new idea,
non-coercivc penitentiary, bit it is
also the day OF tho crank. The crank
is an eruptivc sore formed on the body
polite through the change of the sys.
TEN from an arbitrary government toa
more progressive form, having liberty
as its foundation. One Is apt to think
from superficial view that the crank
is the result of more liberty. And this
is true, just as 1t is true that every
good thing is accompanied by a certain
amount Of waste, or refuse, and that
the more Of the good the more Of the
refuse.
There are weak brains that cannot
bear entire liberty, IL too suddenly ad.
ministered. These small brains break
down when any sort of a strain Is put
upon them. Given prosperity they be-
come demented; treat them to an allo.
pathic dose OF adversity and they be.
come either maniacs or cranks. There
isn't SO much difference between tho
lunatic and the crank. They are both
fitted with wheels in their brains which
move backward. The orazy man may
have pleasant sort Of mania, just as
the crank may be harmless and anus
Ing. Every community has in its midst
= number of wise men who are ready
at all times with their opinions and
prophecies; posers who dilate their
chests with the east wind and give off
opinions and counsel as the bellows
gives off that which 1t takes in. These
men have theories upon all subjects.
They smile at the wisdom of the
ages, and sneeD at the patient calcula.
tions of the trained experts and special.
lists. There are medical cranks with
nostrums for every malady to which
the ignorance of the doctors is blindl
weather wiseacres who know in ad.
vance when the snow will come and
when the frost will whiten; prophet,
lnnumerable, seers without end. There
are statesmen who would let the world
be convulsed with panic while they
experinented and speculated. On theii
faces are craven the lines of perpetual
smiles at the follies of others. From
their lips fall immature words which
sound like wisdom, but which upon
analysis prove to be its opposite.
Once in while, hardly one to the
century, the world has produced a real
reformer; a man with clear brain, q
sound heart and a courage sublime
This man has worked with patience
without the hope of selfish re
ward. The world did not love
him. The world does not Low,
men who tell the truth. In his day
and in his country he was without
honor, and over his head climbed
mediocrity and inferiority to place ant
power. He was philosopherAthat is
one who despised theories improved
and hypothesis untenable. He wor
SHIPPED the truth and swerved not from
it's teachings. He was poor, because
he had no time to be mean; friendless
because fiattery dropped not from hi
tongue, and when his body took on it
last chill and became a mere hous,
from which the tenant had fed, otherl
took his words of wisdom and uset
them for their own.
There is in the crank, often, spic.
Of the reformer-a trace, only, as /
were. They compare as the cobble
stone compares with the obelisk, Or a
the duck pond compares with tn,
mighty ocean. The day of the reforme
has passed, and is to come. The day o
the crank is here. Usually he is harm
less, weak minded sometimes nui
sance and bore, often amusing wit
his airs and oracular utterances, a frit
terer away of his days when manhoo
should sway him, living to tell at tn
end of long, uneventful and unprofit
able life of the wise deeds and wis
sayings Of his youth and adolescence.
The criminal cranks, with the brai
twisted by heredity and habit, SO tina
the goods and lives of their neighbor
are not considered to be of value, ar
multiplying and increasing. Others
cranks who live in their own imagina
tions, are abroad. Their brains ar
puppet-boxes wherein there are show
and transformation scenes continually
, They see themselves clad in robes c
{ power, and behold multitudes pros
trating themselves before them. Th
ermine covers them as they Civ
weighty judgments from high judicis
bench; or the world tire mbles as the
lead great armies to conquest The
!, are poets without rhymes, sculptor
strange to the chisel, inventors withor
ideas, great writers without words. A
their passions, loves, hopes and hatred
are born in dim, uncertain, unre;
light. The brilliancy of the day, til
shadow of the night, the sweet splel
, dor of summer, or the chill blasts .
winter are not the realities of life
them. The sun only serves to show IL
shadow of their enemy, and if the co
bites them it is because others are
their warm places.
This is the dangerous crank who
having his day. This is product
our civilization which must be take
account of. This is an evil which wi
. deal with us if we do not deal with IL
:. evil. We cannot terrify the monste
: To make public exhibitions of him, l
: matter if in the hangman's wagon,
:. to glorify and exalt him. From IL
gallows' stairs he will look down on h
brother, who will envy him.
His mental state must be taken in
account. He is as incurable as he
terrible; he is as incapable of improv
ment as he is appalling. There is
u disease stalking abroad that requir
such heroic treatment. Self-preserv
tion requires The disappearance of I'll
crank. There seems to be no 9th
way to deal with the malady. 1t mu
, disappear. A false sentimentality w
hesitate to apply the remedy. 1t mu
y be applied, however, less worse bette
l u