The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-08-20
Heroes and Those
Who Do Their
Duty.
TIME st. Paul Dispatch recently
contained an article on "Sher-
ifs as Heroes" which read in


part as follows:
There is one class of men which is
doing its duty. The sheriffs of the
country, almost without exception, have
served law and order, have kept faith
with themselves and their oath, have
"kept their love of duty hot" when the
red passions of the mob were arrayed
against them. Scarcely man in this
position of responsibility who does not
measure up to the moments require
ment. That sheriff who stood at bay in
the mountain fastness of Wyoming, and
who protected with his life and his
honor the life of his prisoners against
the dishonor of the mob, is equaled In
herOism by Sheriff Whitlock OF Dan
vile, who hesitates not in the pursuit
of his duties-as he guarded his pris-
oner in jail, so he pursues with lndlct-
ments the citizens who formed the
mob; and by Sheriff Hartley, of Monte
video, who rescued his prisoner twice
from the vengeance of his human fell
lows of pale color.
There is some truth in the foregoing,
but sheriffs are not the only men who
are doing their duty. There are other
classes of men who are doing their du-
ty every day and are not lauded as he
roes because of it. The professional
man, the mechanic, and theilaborer are
quietly doing their duty day in and day
out and are exciting no comment. The
Dispatch does not say sheriffs are the
only men who do their duty, but the
following leaves one to infer as much:
"There is one class of men which is do
ing its duty
But are sheriffs as class doing their
duty? do not think they are. and l
am sure anyone who reads the papers
will agree with me. Accounts of lynch
ings and other outrages are published
daily, and when mob is permitted to
break into a Jail and lynch a prisoner
without some forcible protest from the
sheriff, that sheriff is not doing his du-
ty. Furthermore, because a sheriff
protects his prisoners and does not
hand them over to mob upon demand
it does not warrant him to be called a
hero. Has he not sworn to do his duty
And is he not paid for doing his duty
And does not his duty require him to
protect his charges? The people send
representatives to the legislature tc
make their laws and to fix the penalty
for those who transgress them, and
when they attempt to wrest the power
from those whom they themselves have
elected to execute the law, they art
just as guilty as the criminal upor
whom they wish to wreak their venge
ance. The sheriff is in duty bound t.
protect his charges at any cost. Ant
if he is hero because he does not be
tray his trust, then any man who doe
his duty is likewise hero. The sheriff
does his duty because it means mea
and potatoes to him, as we'll as brea'
and butter-because if he is honest b
must even undergo considerable PEI
sonal risk to do what he is paid to de
My readers must not interpret thi
as the ebullition of sore-head, no
must they think want to detract fror
the good name of sheriffs as class.
believe in every man getting his jus
due, whether it be good or ill: but l d
not believe in designating any body Q
men heroes because they do what the
have sworn to do. A man is her
only when he goes beyond his duty to d
gracious act or q noble deed mot b.
cause he defends his own honor. An.
one with the least self-respect will d