'LAW-ABIDINGNESS' IN THE SOUTH-WEST 221 



years, until we have lost our money, and our 

 reputation for honesty is a thing of the past. 

 . . . Treasurer after treasurer defaults, and 

 not one is punished. It is a wonder the 

 country stands at all, and a wonder the 

 people have borne it as they have.' 



Less prone, on the whole, to the absurd 

 and trivial crazes which too often make the 

 inhabitants of our own tight little isle the 

 laughing-stock of gods and men, the Ameri- 

 can people is nevertheless subject to attacks 

 of emotionalism or sentimentality unworthy 

 a nation priding itself on its good sense. 

 These attacks are not confined to the un- 

 disciplined. Sentimentality obtrudes its in- 

 opportune personality in various unexpected 

 spots, confusing with its clamour a difficult 

 foreign policy, encouraging lawlessness and 

 the tramp curse, lending its aid to the mal- 

 administration of justice, confounding un- 

 repented - of wrong - doing with unmerited 

 suffering, exalting criminals into martyrs, 

 and largely complicating a problem already 

 sufficiently abstruse the Labour Question. 

 In England, too, where 'good horse-sense' 

 is said to reign, emotionalism almost as con- 



