The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-05-28
H INTEGRITY OF THE STATE THE CARE OF THE

INDIVIDUAL.

TIN NAIoiN
INDIVIDUAL
Make an attack founded on probability, n even on reasonable
possibility, on the honor of a man or the chastity OF a woman and
their usefulness is gone. They become in differing degrees out
casts, outlaws. We will grant that a thorough analysis might prove
the attack unjust, and the charges untrue, and yet unless they are
palpably, undisputedly proven untrue the attack is fatal because
there will be many who will never be convinced. Truth is never
more impotent than when combating a lie which people would like
to believe, and when you attack the honor of a man or the chastity
of a woman it il said 70 say that the human ear is disposed to credu-
Ihty. So W e say the individual in either case is ruined. Their full
usefulness can never be restored. This is deplorable but unfortun-
ately true.
When in either case the presumption of innocence is strong the
protecting hand of man should be held like a grateful shade over
the victim, averhng sorrow. But when one two, three many more
occasions re given for suspicion; when rumor takes an open voice
and cannot be questioned as the utterance of calumny; when not
openly the subject OF proof, we will say, within legal definition, 1t is
a fixed belief in the minds of many mel that a mans honor has
been Justly impugned. the usefulness of that man is ended. i'll
makes further public effort the shade of the past will darken it until
finally in despair he will resort to achieving by evil means that which
a man of unquestioned honor will accomplish by upright methods.
Driven by his reputation from straight paths he turns to devious
means and becomes a crook. Then if he retains any influence it
will be an evil influence.
No man can ever wholly regain a lost reputation, and a man
whose reputation is bad will usually adjust himself to his reputation,
and his character will become bad. Another general principle here
asserts itself. No really good man ever had a bad reputation.
We would not send our daughter to a boarding school conduct
ed by a woman of questioned regulations; we would not subject our
son to the intimate influence of a man of evil fame; we would not
burden our church with the ministrative functions OF a man whose
career had been such as to create a doubt of his purity. In either
case the woman, the teacher Or the minister, the individual might be
guitless of improprcties charged, but if persistent suspicion at
tached to either we would be RELUCTANT to subject either the daugh-
ter, son, or church to association with that untavorable reputation
We might deplore, and regret that the individuals in question had
suffered at the hands of public opinion, but we would think it best
for them to remain in private and not defy public opinion by fore
ing themselves into public view. Such self assertion it is in itself
inconsistent with proper delicacy which usually goes with good
character.
Now, if we would avoid the influence of an evil fame in our do
mestic affairs. should we not with equal prudence shield our public
matters from such influences Addressing ourselves to the public
reason, and the public conscience, alone, is i. right dealing with the
state to subject it to association with any man who has been repeat
eddy he subject of public scandal Whose entire public and pn
vate record has little punctuation other than interrogation marks
No matter what your private opinion may be as to his guilt or inno-
upon your state as a n official a man, Or any man, whose character is
involved in doubt Whose career is Swallowed by suspicion Are
there not men to administer our affairs who stand above reproach
Have we a right to faunt our defiance in the face of the world and
say, Yes, there re many men in the state and out of the state who
think him a crook, but what are you going to do about it?
1t will abide. Once written and put into the record it cannot be
changed. For good or i'll it has been done. Let no hint of infamy
mar the work we are about to do If any man suffers unjusty we
will say he has been very unfortunate, but do not let us make his
misfortune a misfortune of the state. We can't afford to elect a re
puted crook. Public discretion should be greater than private sym
pathy. AS an individual you may sympathize, as a citizen you
should be thoughtful. You should not in this matter consider your
self as an individual but as one of the units making up the public
Give the history of the state only men of unsulied reputation. Dc
not thrust private pity into public policy.