The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1896-01-11
WE AND OUR NEIGHBORS

calls "The good old days" There never
were any good old days" after Adam
and Eve left the Garden OF Eden and
began to live and love and hate and
and work. There were just as many
good men in the war OF the rebellion,
even on the other side, as in the war of
the revolution. More, because there
were more men. There were more bad
ones too by the same token but the
good increases faster than the bad. In
a thousand years, which are but as
day, this statement will not need proof
bit even at that date some discouraged
observer OF mems wicked ways will point
to those days in ancient Lincoln when
free institutions stood for great prin-
cipal' etc. There are bad men in Office
here in Lincoln, men who cannot be re-
formed by the dignity of Office or the re-
sponsibility of representing 5000
people. There are good men in Office
here too, men who represent justice,
who sit in the judges seat and who can
neither be bribed nor inundated. We
are not all bad. We are all selfish, but
there are more honest than thieves,
more law-respecting than Iaw-breakers,
more merciful than cruel. 1t is a good
thing to cry out against corruption but
not to brand 4 community with the
crime Of a few. George Washington
was patriot, Abraham Lincoln was
too, and the latter belongs in these de-
generate days. He was a clever poll
tician. he pulled wires. and influenced
men in more ways than one, though he
did nothing dishonorable. There was
many a scholar in the south those days
whose heart burned within him when
he reflected on the disgrace of having
such man as Lincoln at the head OF
the nation. There are just as many
heroes walking up and down the streets
OF Lincoln today as ever trod the streets
OF Rome or Boston. They themselves
do not know it nor ever will perhaps.
You do not know how strong the rope is
till it has been strained though it may
look like good fibre. Wars bring out
the stuff men are made OF, they develop
tire heroic. Now there is Mr.. Courtnay,
His fighting energy would be useful in
a real war. He dissipates it now in
scrimmages OF various kinds. against
churches mostly, where all the strain
comes on his throat. What a different
man he would be if he could ride I'D
and down on spiriteu war horse flour
ish sword and cry Down with the
English Then newspapers would be
full of stores of Lieutenant Colonel
heroism, instead of the dis
graceful illusions that occasionally ap-
pear in the current and local newspap-
ers referring to the man who would
fight.
Miss Elizabeth Irwin sends the fol-
ing statement of the Charity concert to
the editor of The Courier:
i am sorry we are so late in sending
you the exact receipts and expenses OF
the Charity concert. Many persons
were slow in reporting to us, some be-
cause they were sick and could not do
80 earlier. The entire receipts from the
are $500. 10, the expenses were
e62.70. net receipts are si63.30. We re-
ceived many generous donations, chief
among which have been the kind offices
Of The Courier and your own personal
influence. For both we are grateful. II
it be not too late we would like to ex.
press our thanks to all the principal liv-
cry stables, the Electric Light company
North Printing company. the Newspaper
Union and to Mr.. Mcintosh and the N.
P. Curtice Music company, as we'll as to