Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-01-24
Ar. Our Moral Standards Shfrrng'

Social philosophers and reiofmers DO NOT
always resIiss that what people think they
ought to do is, in the long run. more Inn
pnrtant than what they really do. The re-
Isous prosecutors, with all their monStrous
attempts to punish inward opinions oS
outside pains, ut least foressw the enect
oflettipg new standards of right and wrong
emma ipto the world. What is done ID
America to day ia, therefore, not the meas
ure of the peoples uprightness: the mass
of crime and folly which the morning pa
pers bring to our unwilling notice may
mean only that the reporter dweils on
what seems mcst shocking. On the o'nei
hand all the current reprobation by laws
aditorisls. and s-rmons may not prove ina
public gambling is contrary to the accept
sd principIes OF morality, in the face oi tne
omen existence of bucket-shops and gsmo'
ling houses. There is one, snd only one
practical national moral standing: the con-
yiction of the average mind a. 10 ~hS' 10
r;ybt and wrong. That conviction may Do
Godyiyen at our birth; it may be implanted
hv our msthers, By our churches, or by our
schools; it may be beaten in by Police-
mans "billy;' but the actual American
morality of the Nation is simply the aver
age mans" stock of conviction.
In many directions the average man mas
raised his own standard during the last
hundred wears, and is still raising 1t. To
have abolished political privileges; to nave
accepted religious tolerstion; to have On Sde
drunkenness disgrsceful; to have learned
to treat the pauper. the lunstic. ana tne
prisoner with humanity; To have destroyed
slavery, these are his splendid achieve
ments. The country has accepted sucn
new principles as right, and stands o!
them. Churches begin to realize that taey
must appeal to this average intelligence
and sense of right. and therefore ministers
dwell lightly on the acceptance oil doetfiue
and ON religious observsnces, and strong!
on good works; they look less to PROOF
texts for the edifcstion Of thoir hearers
and more 10 the truth. While IN the OF
dinary private affairs of life moral
standards are on the whole advanc-
ing. the old standards no longer
apply to the political and social
matters which now absorb 90 much
attentiou;for the foundation ofthe Nation :
judgements is undergoing change let
politics aud government and LABOR qhes-
tions snd public ord sr are ~ lap ,ddent a.
religion upon the average idea ct what ID
praiseu orthy aud what is iniquitous; they
are all moral questions.
One of the evidences of moral shifting
is that 40 many people suppose that priv
ate and public sffsirs have two stanoarus'
that il is wrong To use the employers timt
for private gain, bnt right for pubic Of
ficer to draw his salary and then leave tn'
regular duties to deputy; that it Is wrong
to secure privilege tor ones sell oy orio-
ing a city council, but right to subscribe
money to a campaign found to buy votes
for a party's advantages; or that distinct
ion may be made between the private and
public character Of public men. Americans
seem rather more prone than ioruieriy ~
consort with Thomas, Richsrd and He.ry
If thereby they get aid or amusement
The leading idea of book which ID said
receutly to have sold hundred thousand
copies in the q tied States seems TO oe
that, if you can contribute To the enter
tainment of people. they are TO receive you
and make you a friend, no matter what
your character The scuundrrl Sveagal'
is courted by three respectable English
men, and allowed TO acquire fatal indn
ence ove- their prot-gee. because he Cal
play a folding fsgeolet. Think OF the
Svengalis in American politics, perfectly
we'll known TO be consorts aud partners "l
thieves and unjust persons, and yet accept
ed in political aud even personal fellow
ship by honest men.-Foram, for January
1905