The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1913-01-17
NnsDIRECTED ENERGY AND
FALSE SYMPATHY

NudstioC bhS pSOPAS VI 'AA'S 1850
about misdlrected energy and false
sympathy, hoping that the world will
at once become better.
Human nature is prOverblally in
consistent 1t may applaud the yirtu-
Gus, but 1t would rather waste Its
energy, when a question of material
help arises, in aiding the vicious
Thousands are perishing around us
daily, when their only crime is, thar
they are poor. Yet there is little
sympathy for them, even from rea-
tives and former friends. and no
helping hand is stretched out to help
them. But-let these same people
commit some CHASTITY crime, and fall
into the clutches Of the law and see
how quickly people will rise up ana
shout sympathy from the housetops
and there is then. no lack OF sub
stantial aid.
Let man, for instance. become q
murderer, and no matter how much
Of an outcast he may have been, be-
fore he became weighted with the
curse OF Cain, he Immediately springs
into notorietry, and Is an object OF
great interest, and people who might
expend their energy helping some
worthy but poor soul, will spring up
at every corner, sympathizing and
pouring in money to prove his inno-
cence and trying to thwart the ends
or justice. He becomes hero in the
eyes OF those who neglected him be-
fore, and It seems that the taking o.
fellow creatures life for any. slight
proyocation or for none at all en-
hanees him a hundred fold In the
estimation OF the world. He becomes
distinguished man, and the con
servatory and reserve closet OF mems
energies are rifled Of their contents
to sooth his hours of Imprisonment.
Philanthropic ladies fock around
him, and tender hearted and soft
headed men, or those anxious for not
oriety crowd forward to cheer him.
Take, for instance, the one MIR.
Myers, the cattle thief who was M
rested here several years ago; broke
Jail, or had the Jail broken for MIN,
and got away. He was run to earth
by the law and brought back. The
day he was returned he was the CEN
ter of an admiring and "hero-wor-
shiping" crowd They had little or
no thought for the poor victim who
has suddenly been sent to his ac-
count with 'all his imperiectlons on
his head" but for the big thief or
murderer they have kind words
which make him think that he Is a.
noble fellow after all, who has not
NOTED a single feather from his an
gellc wings, by violating the laws OF
Go. and man. II he has been SEN
fenced. some people will become very
energetic circulating petitions for
commutat.on.
Myers was given columns and col
umns of story and help, too, perhaps,
but the poor man who lived across
tue track in the little dug-out got
little attention. sympathy or help,
when his roof collapsed, tipped the
stove over. burning what little he pos
sessed and iniuring him frightfully
But perhaps God will make up all OF
this later on.
A young man these days. it seems,
would rather bum around on the
lonely streets of Liberal at night, do
Ing nothing but waste energy and
lose sleep. than go to his room and
sleep and store up energy, or read
and improve his mind.
Most people would rather so to a.
niger minstrel or high-kicking,
half nude musical comedy than hear
a fine lecturer. In the majority Of
cases bad man will marry a good
woman. and a good man will get a
regular hell-cat of woman.
It IS all sort of queer. What a.
change there would be II those who
work and rave for the murderer or
thief would help the honest fallen
or weary at heart; If the young man
who creates energy by sleeping in
place Of wasting It by walking the
streets; II people would be as anx-
ious to hear and see things that real
y count. rather than visiting things
that degrade the mind, or at least
do no good; II they would listen to.
and create music and kind words
rather than gossip; II people would
walt to become acquainted before
marrying. lit would abolish matri-
monyl would 1t not be a ninety-nine
per cent better world?
+. We do not wish to be unmerciful;