The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-26

Siupl rom the danger OF lufdluoin 10
pernicious habits and inclinations. The
forces OF evil are constantly on the
watch for the unwary who venture be-
yond the line of high principle and
are fortunate if in good time they see
their peril and are able to break away
from the fascinations and false lights
which maieVoience displays for their
undoing.
The path of return to security,
though it may be tONsome. is plainly
marked out and those who sincerely
desire TO retrace their steps, and who
have not lost the strength and endur-
ance of right mindedness, need not de-
spair Of restoration to virtue and hap
piness. There is, however absolutely
no hope Sor those who in their wander
ings have so undermined their con-
science and sense Of duty that they
have become victims Of incurable
weakness and moral collapse.
Let US fully realize the Unreasonable
distance between specific wrongful
acts which result from surrender 10
temptation or unprecedented aberra-
ton and a chronicaliy perverted moral
and mental condition. no longer re-
mindful of God and duty.
In one case wrongdOing has not sat
urated the moral and mental system
with depravity, nor wrecked character,
nor submerged hope of redemption; in
the other case there has supervened
such insensibility to high ideals and
such paralysis of the power of right
thinking that there is nothing left TO
build repair upon.
The characterization thus made Of
The quality and consequences Of human
acts and conditions, as they relate to
! individuals. is equally applicable TO
| the conduct and disposition OF an ag
4 gregation OF individuals constituting a
4, slate or nation. A nation, no less than
AN individual, is prone to wander from
the vantage ground OF safe principle
and tradition. and the effect of such
wandering upon national character and
achievement is not less marked nor
more difficult of estimation.
1t viii doubtless be generally con-
fessed that the departures Of the
American people from the way origin
ally ordained for them We're never so
common and never so disquieting as
now. In official circles Offenses of
nalfeasaEce and corrupt breaches Of
public trust are alarmingly frequent
The old landmarks of integrity and
1aithfulness TO duty which once
marked our national course of safety
are rashiy neglected, and public eX-
uaVagance, no longer universally con-
demned as a disgrace TO official stew
ardship, is Haunted before our people
as evidence of the splendOr of our ma
IiOualty
In business and social circles the
pursuit of money has become heartless
and rapaciOusi the Difference to those
who have won great fortunes has
grown IN many quarters 10 be so I'M
questioning and so ObSequiOus as To
amount To scaEdalOus servility, while
the envy of the rich among the strug-
CLING poor Is more than ever bitter
and menacing.
In politics there is far too often con-
Cealed behind q pretense of devotion
10 the public veal the sly promotion of
disreputabiy selfish and personal adj
Nantages. and in the Industrial field
there is no longer found the generous
and contented corporation between
employer and employee which should
insure the prosperity and happiness of
both.
In addition to all this, there is sadly
apparent among those who undertake
Irusteeship tendency TO cOmplacently
venture upon bold and rank violations
of duty, only explained by the prev
alence of lax and tlippant conceptions
Of the sacredness Of dduciary obliga-
lions.
This is an arraignment which every
proud American citizen would be glad
10 avoid. but. if we are 10 be frank.
we must confess that the dreadful list
i could be more easily enlarged than cur
I tailed. The tremendous question con-
fronting US is whether these things
Ncau be regarded as mere items of bad
behavior, which viii yield TO correc-
AVON, or whether We must submit to the
belief that they are symptoms and
manifestations of a fundamental and
radical change i'm American character.
II, Ike offcnses committed by indi-
viduals. they can be cured. or at least
restrained from progress or repetition,
by exposure and punishment, we have
abundant reason for hope and reassur-
ance. Despair can arise only from a
conviction that the evil conditions
which afiiict US are proof Of the de-
cadence of destruction of those saving
traits Of our normal disposition upon
which our free Institutions must de-
pend for their benehcence and per-
petuity.
s. = -
untoward appearances forced upon our
View We should resist the influence of
gloomy forebOdings and at the same
time guard against the instructive and
complacept notion that American in
situations have endured long enough 10
demonstrate that neither assault from
without nor malignant disease within
can defeat the experiment of popular
rule. Though a cOlOring may be given
the discussion by our moods and tenn
peramental inclinations. il is certain
that useful results will not be reached
IL either ightheaded optimism or mel
nncholy pessimism is in full command
Surely there is a cloud bigger than a
mans hand in our national sky. but
ms does not necessarily presage out
destruction by flood or storm. Least
of al should one be suspected of toler-
Atng the hoXious weeds which choke
the growth of better things. or of IN.
derrating their balefulness. if hi
claims that American character is a.
yet untouched by decay. and is stu Z
safe guide for those who are wilkins
10 be safely led.
United States senators and repre
sentatiVes in congress, who. relying OF
The loose ideals of honesty peryadine
their environment have BETRAYED tn,
trust OF the people, ind that no per
verted sentiment and no disguise Ol
dazzle of high position avails 10 say,
them from the fate OF common male
factors. Those also who. while in
TN1flsted with important duties in tn
executive branchs of government. ma
1lonal and state. have taken advantag,
of easy opportunities 10 fitch publi
FUNDS or have lent themselves TO tn
mir