Middletown transcript., 1897-11-27
ARE WE HaNEsTa

ARE WE H0NEsTs
s.There are no prisons in Iceland. In its
history of 1000 years only two thefts are
recorded, and in both of them the booty
was sheep. One. native who stole to
keep his family from starving while he was
recovering from broken arm, was given
employment and food, the stigma attached
to his crime being considered sufficient
punishment. The other theft was by
German, who stole seventeen sheep. There
was no excuse for his action, for he was in
comfortable circumstances. The sentence
passed upon him was that he should sell
all his property, restore the value of what
he had stolen and then leave the country
or be executed. 1t is needless to say what
he did. And yet there are men and women
who would like to send missionaries to
Iceland. ."-Exchange
Is it possible p' was the exclama-
ti0n of a friend to whom we recently
related the above statement, only we
through fault Of memory made the
period but century when it is ten
centuries. Is what possible ? That
a whole nation should be honest moth
ing more nor less than being what
most men would resent with a blow if
accused of being the opposite /; yet
many will say they will not believe
this statement, and why Either they
have sense of dishonesty within them
or their experience with the world
leads them to doubt the honesty of their
fellows. In either case the condition
does not prove that the Icelander is
not honest in every respect /; it only
proves that in this country. we are
below him in this one particular, per-
haps in others, and yet as our tex
change states there are those who
would send missionaries to Iceland.
But few days since citizen of
Middletown related his experience to
the writer upon moving here. He had
been accustomed to leaving his chickens
in the yard, his corn crib and stable
door without lock and key. The
chickens began to disappear, the corn
crib to diminish unusually fast and a
set of new harness was missed one
night and has not been seen since.
This was only proof that there are
people in this community unlike those
whom he had left. But the stealing of
chickens. while it is bad enough, is not
to be compared with the man who sets
out deliberately to cheat aud defraud
the people. There are many such and
not few Of them try to hold up their
heads as respectable men and women.
And often they are respected, es-
pecially if they have money. Not
few of them purchase "respectability"
in the churches by contributions
thereto and they are Brothers" and
"Sisters'' to their own profit, to the
swelling of the church treasury but to
the dishonor of christianity. And yet
these churches would send missionaries
to Iceland
No prisons in Iceland This is a
christian land, yet look at our prisons
our jails, our warehouses;, our peniten-
tiaries. We claim the highest civili-
zation and yet we cannot claim
general honesty. Do you doubt it
Go consult the merchants of any COM
munity and learn from them the tricks
practiced by those who would obtain
the merchants wares without paying
for them. Perhaps to your surprise
you will learn that the class is not con-
fined to the lowly nor to the few. This
is sad but true. And many of these
respectfully" dishonest men and
women would favor sending mission
aries to honest Iceland
Such is the condition when looked
at frankly, and unless so looked at the
condition will grow no better. What
is the cause and where is the remedyP
We will not pretend to answer but it
should be answered. The pnlpit should
answer, statesmen should answer,
parents and teachers should answer,
competent press should answer. That
our jails and penitentiaries are crowded
and chiefly with men and women who
are dishonest. that in business every
man must be careful that he is not de-
frauded by dishonesty, shows some
thing wrong with US and lesson
should be learned from Iceland, honest
Icelandl to whom may dishonesty be
ever unkno wn.