The times., 1901-04-29
The Herrnn Enisode.

The HerrOn Episode.
The adventures and performances of
Prof George D. Heron, Socialist, in
New York and Boston seem to have
stirred up d sort OF tempest in a teapot:
and newspaper controversy over his
character and conduct has begun in the
columns of New York paper. One
gentleman wishes to know what Prof.
Herron's divorce from his wife has to
do with the value of the gospel which
he breaches; and another rejoins, quite
sensibly that it may or may not have
anything to do with that but it certain
ly concerns the question whether his
social position is good or not. 1t may
be added that a man who arises before
an assembly of Harvard alumni and
students to deliver a vituperative
harangue against that college could
only be considered a gentleman by a
mighty stretching of that term. Prof.
Heron may not like Harvard but it is
not pretty in him to come before the
Social Science Club of that university,
as its guest, and tell his audience that
their alma mater is a bloodsucking
vampire, and is prostituting its honor
TO villainous greed, and so on. Decent
society recognizes obligations which
Prof Herron's type of socialism, appar-
entity. does not. Among them is the OBJ
legation TO be reasonably polite to ones
hosts.
As to the question of Mr.. Herron's
private life it must be admitted that
this materially affects the question
whether or not he shall be recognized
as an equal by men of intellectual
prominence and standing in the COM
munity Society has its laws, and while
these should be elastic, in order not to
shut out a really good and conscien-
tious man on account of his unconven-
tionality of thought. and so lose the
benefit which his originality of view
might afford to others, they should not
be so badly strained as to lose all con-
formity TO the general laws of right
and wrong in human conduct. There is
no way OF furnishing offences which are
morally but not legally wrong except
by the unwritten law of public seni-
ment: and this is shaped only by usage,
and by the action of those who by force
of character and largeness of achieve
ment are recognized as leaders. The
reason FOR the punishment of offences
against the moral code is obvious. 1t is
not so much a matter Of judging the
offender as Of preventing offences If a
reckless youth is encouraged to believe
that he can marry a good young girl
5.a 70 oil inI pf n
neglect. and outrage, without sOciety's
taking any cognizance of it, he is likely
TO DO il whenever there is inducement
in the shape Of a fortune or anything
else. If, on the other hand, ne knows
that such behavior on his part win be
visited with severe punishment in the
shape Of ostracism and loss of social
position and the privileges which go
Herewith, he is likely to think twice
before committing the offence. 1t is
just as unreasonable to say that a
charitable disposition should lead one
10 be forgiving 10 such an offender as
10 argue that a murderer, a thief, OF an
incendiary should be allowed to go scot
free. Society has no moral right TO be
lax in its judgment It's obligation is
rather TO be strict but TO be strict in
the right place; not to punish the vic
tim and reward the offender. not to
place restraint upon generosity and al
low selhshness and license free course.
According to report, Mr.. Heron has
behaved in way which no decent man
should approve; and he does not i'm
prove his case by parading himself
about New York and Boston as the dis
penser of a new and holy social gospel.
1t may be true that a mans private life
does not affect his work, when ii comes
TO art, science, or POLITICAL economy;
but in matters which involve ethical
problems the private life of the preach
er is most certainly important