The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1895-01-17
wHo IS RESPONSIBILITY
A Sentiment Which Should Have Atten
ton in Every Community,

~ - IVY SShAaaAAtys
The man who will stand indiifer-
emily by and see his neighbor run
over rough shod forfeits his claim
to be called good citizen. Such
conduct shows a man to be cow
ard, and as destitute of human SYM
patty rs the Priest and the Levite
who passed by on the other side.
His policy is self-preservation, and
this no expects to get by letting
his down-trodden neighbor severely
alone. 1t may not be a mans duty
to shoulder his gun and run into
every fray, but he can always show
his opposition to the wrong He
can boldly denounce it, and let its
perpetrators understand that they
have no sympathy from him. 1t
is not violence that is needed to
keep down lawlessness so much as
q sound public sentiment. The
outlaw appreciates the silence of a
prominent citizen much more than
the aid of q desperate. He has no
trouble to get all the help he wants
from the latter class. 1t is the
opposition, outspoken opposition,
of the former that he breads. He
knows that when this class of peo-
pie unite to suppress crime that his
doom is sealed. There has never
been a feudal war that might not
have been crushed in its infancy if
all the socalled good citizens had
decreed it. 1t is divided commu-
nifty that makes these wars posi-
BILE, and the man who withholds his
influence at such time is Il criminal
in the sight of high heaven. The
Bible plainly af1irms that to Him
that knoweth to do good and doeth
it not, to him is sin" Another
class of people who are responsible
for the feudal wars of the noun
tains, is unfaithful officers. Such
men are curse to any land. Put
in authority to see the laws faith
fully executed, they look with in
difference upon their violation.
Clothed with power to bring Grim
inals TO justice, they wink at their
crimes and allow them to go free.
But what shall be said when q
prominent citizen is sworn on a
jury, and in the face of law and
testimony brings in n verdict Of
mot guiltv?' 1t is time then for
good men to pray and angels to .
weep, for the devil roioiccs and his |
emissaries on earth raise the shout F.
of victory. The juror is the last I.
hope. There is no appeal from his |
decision. The assassin, the house |
burner, the parjurer-lll are COM
missioned afr}sh TO go on with their
fiendish work. Let the response
bility rest where it belongs. There |
never have been outlaws enough In
any community to Overrun it, If
the non-cOmbatants said No.
When trouble is brewing in a COM
munity it is the duty of every cit
izen, official or private, to ask HIM
self the question: "Whot can | do
to check this rising tide?" If this
question be asked in sincerity, the
answer will promptly come. At
such times every man can do some
thing, no matter how humble his
station may be. He can urge the
arrest, trial and punishment of ev-
cry violator of the law, and that
will stop any feud. The penalties
of the law inflicted will bring any
desperate to himself and make
peaceablo, quiet citizen of him. 1t
is only when men are allowed 10 do
as they please that they become so
desperately wicked. The remedy
is easy.