I am convinced that many glaring crimes and endless cankers
of the soul are due to lack of the trained will to face the
full light of truth, and even more to perplexed thinking. An
Irishman in my city, to help a stupid friend, very kindly passed
the civil service examination for him, swearing falsely, of
course, and forging his friend’s name. He was found out and
sentenced, but the body of public opinion among his set excused
and even commended him because his motives were kindly, and on
being released from jail he was banqueted and re-elected to the
Legislature. I think there was real confusion of thought in
this case, and that this confusion will continue to disgrace
our political life until we can bring the growing generation to
see that kindness to an individual is not to be put ahead of
truth or of loyalty to the laws of the nation.--ELLA LYMAN
CABOT, “Proceedings of the National Education Association,”
1909.
(1726)