Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1916 — TWISTING THE TAIL OF THE GOLDEN RULE. [ARTICLE]

TWISTING THE TAIL OF THE GOLDEN RULE.

The Golden Rule is a good rule, but we often twist its tail to a frazzle. It was laid down as a guiding star to the faltering and wayward footsteps of humanity. But there are many feet in this town that neglect to tread the golden pathway of . suit lias been taught us at the mother knee, preached to us from toe pulpit, fed to us in the schools, declaimed from the lecture platform, and advocated from a thousand other sources. But there are local ears that hear not and eyes that refuse to see. The tail of the Golden Rule is receiving some vigorous twists in thi3 town. Often we are asked by some mer~. chant to preach the doctrine of “trade at home.” We preach it, and it helps to enrich the merchant who made the request. That is good, for we believe in patronizing local institutions—we like to see them grow—we want the money kept at home. But when the same merchant whose money till we have helped to fill sends out of town for his job printing we cannot but pity the iso-

lation of the poor old Golden Rule. Some people make their money in this community, enjoy life in the community, educate their children at the expense of the community, and then buy their goods from merchants who are not in or of the community. —■ ■ —-- It is some .tug at the golden tail. There are some people who want the earth for what they sell and then expec: to receive some of their own purchases for less than cost. And the Golden Rule is helpless—forgot ten—kicked into the discard. A few people make a picture of parading their own virtues and sneering at the frailties of their neighbors. Some want to hog everything In sight, though the less fortunate experience the gnawing pangs of hunger. Occasionally we see a sanctimonious countenance in church while the mind wifliin is devising means of skinning others out of their hard earned dollars. The Golden Rule? Why the poor, decrepit old rule is strangling 365 days in the year. Its coat of gold has turned to rust, and the once sparkling waters of its purity are stagnant from disuse. The Golden Rule? Can you point to a soul in all this wide world who in all things does unto others as he would have them do unto him? Possibly we, too, are twisting the tail of the Golden Rule when we publish this article, for we are telling others of their faults when we have many of our own—which we too often forget. And yet we. repeat, the Golden Rule is a good rule. We may not walk sterwlfastly i accordance with its teachings, but we may at least practice a portion of that which we preach. We may accord to others a slight degree of that which we demand for ourselves. We may even trail along in the shadow of the Golden Rule, though our steps be faltering and our limbs over weary. For we are but human, and no human being of today is perfect. Yes, the tail of the Golden Rule receives may twists, yet it is the tail that never knows disjointment.