Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-03-08
ESSEX County Arrala.
Truth is mighty,
And will prevail.

Abstractly considered truth is invinei-
bic. 1t is eternal. Truth is. was. and
ever shall hr; aud hecausi it is IL i ,
mighty. But truth is one thing in the
abstract aud in its application quite an
other thing. Even truth, or any princi-
pie or sentiment, however elevated II
NAV be can be prostirutcd to base uses,
and when it is il is often much more
effective in accomplishing evil than I'M
disguised falsehood. Because truth is
attractive the best and the most depraved
worship it. Falsehood is repugnant to
the minds of men and women. Much
evil is done by counterfeiting truth.
Candor, justice, benevoleuce, temperance
and many other principles are attributes
of truth; but bland face, cold, sancti-
fled expression and designing immobile
self passion Intentionally concealed by
winning manners is not capdor. To
raise ones self at the expense of others,
TO become a politician in distinction
from a patriot or statesman, to admins
ter laws in harmony with dominant in
fluences, whether personal or collective.
is not justice. To become "jolly good
fellow" aud squander money on sponges,
beats, and vipers, whose eyes pleasantly
CLEAN by candle light but whose slime is
all over YOU when daylight appears,
while brother is struggling for eXis-
tence or half clad sister is shivering in
the cold, is not benevoence neither is
it benevolence to give with intent to
build up ones influence to support a
church or society because they will be as
an annex to the donors business or am
billions, political or otherwise; but
instead those are the basest kinds of
bribery.
But of all the attributes of truth the
most perverted of all is temperance and
the next in its evil influences to down
right unqualified intemperance is a
form of it which may be called intern
perate temperance. Take State with
an overwhelming sentiment in favor OF
governing the appetites of men and that
sentiment as completely crystallized into
legislation as ingenuity, time and eX-
pertinent is capable OF doing, and not a
single man of any considerable power or
influence can be pointed out who is en-
gagged in its execution independent OF
personal considerations. It's execution
is spasmodic, intermittent. and depend
ent on impulse, passion, excitement,
self interest and availability to build up
regulations. 1t is dependent on selfish
interests, malice and revenge. Men will
vote for the law and then 60 in droves
to violate it. They will cry aloud foI
its enforcement and act with great yea
in its enforcement, taking It's moietie'
one year and the next defend for money
its violators; proclaim its virtues witt
one breath aud commit perjury to de
feat it in the next; quietly stand by anc
see numerous trafickers grow up anC
cautiously expand, permeating the com
munity, restrained by favoritism or self
interest, and then suddenly swoop dowr
on those whose interests have grown up
encouraged by their neutral acquies
cence like Bosom destruction, with law
force, violence, passion, intolerance, fac
tional excitement and favoritism. 1t il
the prey of Adventures, the hobby q
cranks, the politicians opportunity, the
spectators capital, and one of the mos
fruitful sources Of political corruption
1t is law hich is violated by both it
pretended friends and its enemies, thu
former going so far as to invent al
kinds of schemes to keep the none,
lawfully produced by it from going int
the public treasures where it belongs
Everybody knows that a temperate,faith
full, honest execution of this law would
vindicate it and would accomplish all it
purposes and designs. With such usag'
it is mighty and will prevail. The,
why is this law singled out from all 9th
ers for the very opposite treatment?