The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-14
(Part 4) Copyright 1942, John Barr)

The first article of this series was prefaced as follows: During the Fourth of July celebration the writer overheard on the radio several absurd statements about the importance of Tom Paine's contribution to the cause of American Independence.
 'To answer such misstate- ments 1t is well to be reminded of certain undisputed historical facts:"
 For the purpose of these arti- cles, 1t was necessary to show Paine's background in England and why and when and how he came to America. But otherwise our inquiry concerns his conduct in America and not what adven- lures he had in France or else- where.
 Up to the age of 37 Paine ap- pears to have been a cringing, groveling specimen of humanity, cowardly and contemptible in every relation of life.
 But after a years opportunity in America, with his wits sharp ened but his Ieopard's spots un- changed, Paine evidently laid out for himself, with diabolical cun- ming, the plan that many other interruptions schemers have used and will continue to use, he pro- claimed himself, with loud fam fare of pamphlets, as a new brand of champion of liberty and rescuer of down-trodden men, and threw himself so many be- quets that it was some time be- fore his duplicity was completely unmaSked.
 However, Paine was so totally unmasked and discredited, that long before his death in 1909 at the age of 72, he was held throughout America in utmost loathing and destestation.
 Paine's blatherskite pretensions in America seem beyond belief, and that he could have gotten away with it. as long as he did is a wonder.
 His pamphlets Swelled his own head so that he seemed to think that he was the 'mainstay' of the American Revolution and was ab- solutely essential to its success. And all the time he was blow ing his own horn and claiming to be the only true, genuine cham pion of liberty and rescuer of own-trodden men. It was a smart racket, and no one ever knew how to work 1t more art fully than Paine.
 Illustrating how Paine 'cashed in on that racket: To help him along he had been appointed to several cler!Sshias that paid hin, more than he had ever received before in his life, for 1t had only been year since he jumped at the chance of getting the editor ship of The Pennsylvania Maga- zine at salary of 5O& year. But his ideas were entirely changed after he began writing pamphlets, and though he was pretending that his writing was gift to the patriot cause, he expected to be well paid for 1t, and adopted 8 new technique to accomplish his purpose.
 Paine wrote bitter letters to the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania about the indiffer- .ence of the State to his welfare. He pointed out that his financial plight concerned the future of the Revolution.
 T cannot but observe" he wrote, that the course of four years have produced no other sig nature universally known and read here and abroad except that which I have constantly published, and should my situation be rendered such as shall oblige me to discon- tinue the part have hitherto acted-etc., etc."
 That scheme worked so well that scarce though money was, Pennsylvania gave 8 cash con- tribution to Paine, who made sim- liar appeals to Congress and the States separately, and altogether he fared pretty well, including the 300 acre farm in New Rochelle, that the State of New York had taken from a Tory and given to Paine, who sold a small piece for e5,0o0.
 Paine continued to pass the hat Gor his own bandit till thO var