The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-23
Comments Liyin gTOplc
BY Archibald johnson.

BY Archibald johnson.
We have known Mr.. James r. Rod
we'll for many years. There is not
more honorable man in Warren coun-
ty AS between the two men we would
credit a statement from him good
deal quicker than one from Judge Pee
bles. for he is a thousand times more
worthy in every way. PEBBLES. by his
last act, has fully indicated the
Lumberton lawyers.
An UnclaSSified Case.
To many people in the world the
good works done by the right hand
are not shown to the left. Others aD-
pear to have no objection if the left
hand should find out accidentally the
virtues or beneficences of the right.
Others still there are who maintain
trumpet to sound forth their good
deeds. and it has been uncharltablV
surmsed of this last class that. If the
trumpet should temporarily get out OF
order. said good deeds would be post
poned. However that may be. these
people take their place among the
many sorts that make UP the world.
But we have recently heard OF new
specimen, a unique case. that does not
seem to belong to any class: at least
We hope that it is really a unique case
and not repeated often enough 10
make a class. The incident which led
case occurred in a city not thousand
miles distant. A lady who had been
making some purchases, left one or
these, a rather valuable package. In Il
small store. AS soon as she discov-
cred the loss she returned for it, and
was sorry, though not surprised. 20
| find it gone. She applied to the sales
girl. who remembered the purchase
| and that a man was standing by at
| the time who. she thought. might have
carried the missing package away
adding that she knew the Gentleman
quite well and would inquire of him
| concerning il. Two or three days later
| the package was received by mail. ac-
| companied by note from the man
| who had taken it. In this epistle he
| remarked that IAN honest man is the
nobest work of Cod and asked that
| his honesty be recognized by testl-
monial With the note were some
copies of letters obtained under like
| circumstances which he enclosed that
| the lady might use them as models
| This certainly throws new light OF
| the question of honesty, about which
| we have hitherto modestly thought
we knew about all there was to know.
| Truly this is a queer world, brethren.
and we never expect to become ac-
customed to the surprises that Turk
around the corners.
An InsidiouS Evil.
Just now the administrators of the
public school systems of some OF the
larger cities of the country. particu-
larly those of the North and North
west are much exercised over GER
tain social institution whose existence.
it is surmisei, is not confined to the
LANCE cities, and wherever found. tends
to- the, serious detrimentsof youth. The :
Objectionable institution is the secret
society,". whose evil influence is all-per-
vasive and destructive in its tea
dencies The evils of the secret So
ciety to youth who should be testing
the nature of wholesale fraterniza-
ton is proclaimed by the educators in
question as "undemocratic in their Il
ture. demoralizing in their effects. ana
subversive of good citizenship; they
tend to divert their members from
scholarly pursuits and to put so-called
interests of the organization above
those of the school," This means, in
other words, that membership in high
school fraternities fosters cleanliness,
caste. class, and undemocratic concep-
tions of society and citizenship; that
time and expense. lll-aftorded oy
| many, are devoted to diversions detrl-
mental to the normal development OF
| the Young and to the attainment or
the degree of scholarship prescribed.
At a period when Il boy or girl should
discover that life means living togetn-
err he or She untutored uniformed.
| following wrong principles receiver
| from unWise parents, or uncharltdole
| Impulses of their own hearts cnarac-
terizinz this boy as bum ana tnat
girl as 'horrid," flock into little
| groups with mysterious names ana
| meeting places, and there violate inc
ideals of democracy and good preedias
and. it is possible, more-of morallly.
| Educational communities eVeryWhe!e
| would do we'll to inquire into THIS
matter. In the many private ana sec
| ondary schools of the country, similar
conditions are possible and however
| difficult reform may be it should be
tried. The secret society OF matufef
college years is not under scrutiny
| soul has been wronged, no doubt. by
Its closed doors.