Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-10
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once upon time. In md about the
province Of Attlca. Greece, there was
notorious outlaw who spread con-
sternntlon far and wide. the dread OF
the man and his deeds even amounting
nj times to almost n reign Of terror In
the capital. Athens The ouilawry OF
the man consisted In various forms OF
piundering and robbery attended by
brutal hut frequently ingenious tor
ture and murder lie set laws NJ de-
nancc and became n law unto himself
one OF bis sncciaiiica In the line NJ cruel
and cunning dcviltry was the placing
II those whom he had captured upon
an iron hodstcad which he had had
constructed for the purpose. II the cap
tive was too short he was stretched
out 10 the requisite length 60 ~ the
couch. aud II too LONG the supcriluous
length was cut on. Tho victim had TO
~. even II he ala suncr and nj times
iie ., 40 Il. u is ~ doubt she case
that now and then the man wns the
exact length. nt which the robbcr must
have experienced no little chagrin be-
cause II being deprived " the anticl-
patcd customary pastimc: what he did
on such occasions IL not known.
Grcclan legends are at the best imper-
feet. and In this particular case they
are especially 20. The chances would
seem to be In favor Of the conclusion
that when captive waa neither to-
long nor too short, he would be- tried
upon charge u having rod hair ~
cross eyes or some such thing against
which no defense could h. made. and
being found guilty would be- summarily
punished. but We viii charitably sup.
pose that he was only deprived ~ nll
his possessions and then let 10. The
name ~ the robbcr was Procruatca and
he nourishcd long White before even
ne Acrspalls was constructed.
II seems not 90 matter very much
that Home ~ the acts u which We read
In history arr repulsiyc even In their
recital. Human nature II the same In
all ages. and while ages Of contention
among people ana the attfitlon ~ adj
vanced conditions with older and less
favored ones have been the means ~
making organized law more secure aud
progressive. some ~ the old-tlmc de-
Ecncrncy stu remains II IL a WE'LL
known fact that hut for the restraints
which Improved circumstances. social
cummlnrling and better education have
crgntod ana conserved. man soon begins
TO take the back track leading to bar
barism and s,vagcry. Every new
mining camp or other gathering OF
men remote from civilized centcrH. h
evidence ~ II. hut there are others and
In abundance. Wsdo not have 10 go away
from civilization but stay In II and
watch and think TO be convinced that
the procrustean disposition IL far from
being d"ad-that IA II not only alive but
IN places active and only held Ia fc-
H,ralnt by the capitalization
~ improved mental deductions and tho
force u peoples united sentiment
which all recognize a. law. Even that
only Restraints overt performances Of
the forbidden class. the limit Of for
bearance. the vary verge - the danger
ou. ground IL often reached. occasional
~ entered.
The blgp, Il. fir example. az; 10 be a
descendan, and disciple 81 rrocruEics,
and him We have ever with and near
~. lie has 4 belief ~ his own which
corresponds 20 the iron bcdstead. he
measures other peoples Views by this
arbitrary lmplemcn, aud subjects :hom
- exactly the same sreatmeur. meta
phorlcally. that she Hellenic outlaw did
HE prisoners physically. The opinions
~ other people are erroneous In the
hlEoi'r estimation II they go ahead or
fill short ~ his own. They must cor-
respond exactly ana then they may be-
no longer opposed, although they may
no longer In their reformed condition be
NJ scryicc TO the owner or any one else.
No matter ~ TO that. The dlysrRence
from what has been set up ~ the crl.
teron constitutes an ofrensss and Of
fonseH must be punished In order that
regularity may prevail. Nor does u
amount 20 a defensive proposition that
the dlfsldent l. unable 10 see and com.
prchend things ~ the hlg1i docs. that
the line % rlFht as ~ has been given
20 see the rlght Is being followed a.
strictly rs circumstances VIII permit
AN this IL ether criminal mlscilcula-
;lon or unpardonable peryerslon. The
unfortunate must go TO the bedstsad
and De- trimmed down or drawn out un-
~ his conngurailon Il acceptable.
The Prucrustean higot with his Inn
plem,ni OF adjustment infesis an places
the highway. the byway the mart
the forum aud the temple. with q
phatiHalcal cry he smltes the weak 81
the strong. the young and thc old, IN,
rich ana the poor. Neither age. sex n1i
condition ls secure. tie takes n0,hlnl
but hls own relf-suilicioncy Into con
sIdrfntlon. The victim N his reform
aiory methods may even have beoi
struggling under burden In the direc
ton In which the blgnt declares h
should 20. but II because of physlea
weakness or constant obstacles or tina
the burden II too great the progress
made IS not fast or direct enough I
! meet the demands Of the tyrani, Their
might as wen be- no progress at all =
Tar AZ avoiding the condemnation goei
A. such time and under such cifcum
stances the IRON couch IA present bu
concealed; the ilyld. bloodless, gaun
gllrlng gaze ~ the original Procrust'
u here. but II IL masked. Modern Gus
i t.l.... .l..ut.aH ,r..tt,aa and aaultab