The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-12-03

1t is reported that Litchfield insists
| upon the very highest possible private
and public morality on the part of her
| candidate. His life, alb initio, must
have been so absolutely stainless that
the purest and severest Iitchfield old
maid, armed with the largest, sharpest
| and most uncompromising moral mag
| nifying glass, can discover no flaw
| therein. He must at all times, since
| boyhood have marched well within the
| limits Of the ten commandments and
| have behaved himself as well up to the
standard Of the old maid, aforesaid, as
is possible for human pale endeavof.
In imposing SO severe standard Litch-
field is not only absolutely right, but is
opening a wise eye for the future.
We live under paternal government
of which the paternity Is all the while
increasing in power and ramification.
How can a government be properly
paternal unless it exercise moral force,
control immoral acts and signal virtue
for reward and prominence? If it be
the intention of the government to in
augurate regime of moral, or immoral
restraint, wher can the experiment be
better begun than at the postoffiee?
And where, the world over, can there
be a more convenient and conspicuous
postofflce for the Inauguration of new,
universal and transcendent moral policy,
than the postoffice situated amid the
eternal moralities of Ltchfield? At the
postoffice the United States is separated
from the innermost desires, longings,
hopes and intentions Of it's citizens but
by the thickness of an envelope. There
is no department, or institution, OF the
government where with so little effort
the moral force idea may be started.
| Whether in furtheranee Of the idea 1t
may become right to tear away the in
tervening envelope, or to open 1t by
succative appliances, is not the present
question. There can certainly be no
harm, but the highest right, in putting
at the head of the postoffice a person
with such keen eyesight, such delicate
fingers, suck quick perceptions, all
trained in the service of virtues that by
mere handling and inspecting he can
instantaneously decide which letters
may, which may not, be allowed to pass
on to their addresses. Litchfield is
determined to be ready for the expert
ment which the government seems de-
termined to make. For all that is
known to the contrary, the present
Litchfeld excitement may have been
planned by the government to test pub
lie opinion on the subject 1t will not
be the first time that Litchfield has
been selected as a starting point for
revolutions in art, politics and religion.
When the system has been perfected
what stupendous benefits will ensue.
How many innocent victims of frown-
ing fortunes have been made miserable
by the importunate missives of heart
less duns, 80 per cent. Of which q post
master Of moral perspicacity would
have benighly stopped? What youth
full Miss with curly hair, dimpled cheeks
and rosebud mouth has not had atten-
ton distracted from catechism by mis-
spelled notes from foolish SWANS; all of
which, with the exception of choice
few, should have been stopped before
delivery and their writer's properly ad-
monished and warned? What candi-
date for office has not been inundated
by letters from wretches, offering as
sstance, who in reality needed, and
subsequently impudently demanded, as
sistance? In all these instances wise
postmaster would be Of better service
to the community than dozens of mis-
sionaries. AT the same time the Itch
field postmaster will have a hard time
of it. Initiators of reform must be will
ing to face martyrdom. The truly good
man is often maligned. His path will
not be strewn with thornIess roses
Even now, right in Litchfield, angry
voices of opposition are muttering, and
asserting that the postoffice is no place
for the ideally virtuous who knows
nothing of sin and therefore cannot
weigh and discriminate vices. The
new postoffice policy, they declare, de.
mands an experienced moralist who
} has known sin, only tentatively and ex-
perimentally, of course, but who has
had sin enough to understand tempta.
ton; to regard the frail with large ano
charitable heart, and who therefore
, knows how to set fallen human nature
, up on its legs once more. The idealist
may possibly prevent any further out.
break of vice; but how is he to handle
the Iitchfield vice which may be still
current? Litchfield is not, however. te
be beguiled by any such specious ar.
gumentation. The white banner OF
spotless purity floats from her liberty
pole; the candidate must take his stanf
under its folds.
r Another postoffice point which is be
, ing developed at Litchfield is also Of
general interest. As every one knows
few New England villages can support
an independent postoffice. That is e
postoffice with a building of it's owl
l and with postmaster and clerks enjoy.
| ing salaries which permit them to give
/ up their whole time to Uncle Sam. The
/ postmaster is generally an enterprisine
) and patriotic party who introduces the
postofTice into his shop and runs the