The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1913-07-25
DOUNF.4LL DUE TO E.lTRATAG.4NCE

Under the above caption the Yazoo City Sentinel discusses con-
diuons which no doubt had much 10 do with the graft Governor
our columns. What the Yazoo Sentinel says is true OF the whole
country, and it is time for the fathers and mothers of the country to
call a halt. A few weeks ago our editorial. Going at a Fearful
Gait" advanced the same ideas as the lazoo SentineFs editorial:
But there is a human side to all this. We are, some of us,a APP
sestigation of those who have plundered the state, and those who
are suspected of having done SC. OF course nc matter what the mo
are right motives, it cannot be denied. that the effect will be to check
pecuaucn; picking and stealing whichihe Prayer Book so earn
esuy leads us to pray for Protetton against; and we should applaud
his activity.
But as We said at the outset. there is a human side to al this
Here we have a selfconfessed thief who is a descendant of a family
He himself ENJOYED the esteem and respect OF III men WIN a fam
lily looking with confidence to him for protection and support dur
support; sufficient to protect that dependence. Why should he have
Can we not consider this one Of the signs of the timese Having
enough, he wanted more. it was not enough. 50 not beng content
that which was not his. WY 1t is quite likely tina, this scion Of
an honorable and honored family was aot radically dishonest-prob-
ably weak-but the very fact that he was a member OF a distin-
guished family made II seem necessary for him to support a certain
social position. Ii did not seem mete TO him to live in the obscure
ty Of comparative poverty. He mus, keep up with his set. SO far
as we know, it is not of record that he specialized; that he gambled
S,t thai ,1 t he was 5, edd 1it5 IL to al: any form OF d'sS'pa'0" to excess he
Extravagance is the order of the day. We were reading only a
day or two ago OF the expression OF a woman Of some prominence
who spoke OF women as being dress crazy. We know that fami-
at least most showuy. We know OF men Of comparatively small
incomes who buy motor-cars. 1t is said that many farms are mort
gagged to indulge in this particular form of luxury. In other words
II IS a day OF eNtTavaganee' and aio a day OF graft Is there no cor
and too often alas sensiiNeness to the demands OF society is stron'
ger ' Wn hone 49, h., y. y. .,-it,a A. The roo, Of The evil ,
we punish OUSnuCTs,O u are " { striking al lHe fOOt Oh nc evil!
Are We not only looping of certain rotten limbs? If extravaganza,
and emulation on the part of the poor of the habits of the rich, could
be frowned upon and discountenanced, We think we could come
nearer the solution OF the problem /, is a fact that a man may COM
nit a legally and moraNy-dIshonest act and yet be honest. A man 5
own conscience is the only court in which his moral honesty may
be tried. He may take what is not his intending to return it. No
dishonest intent but a MOS. deplorable and fatuous weakness. 1t
generally ends in the verdict OF a jury. Guilty as charged"
Its an almost hopeless desire. but it is not possible for us to
feturn to those days when a man was content to live and be happy
within his income. instead OF emulating the extravaganza of those
richer than himself:
We have nothing but sympathy for those VINO have been proven
guilty in these transactions. To step aside is human, but W have
nothing but condemnation for those exiravagances which incite
weak men. and weak women to disastrous emulation"