How Do People Use Power In A Ranger Ride To Town

American author Edward Abbey concludes “Power is always dangerous.  Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best.”  This quote means that with power comes corruption.  Many people are trusted with power, and we don’t know what they will do with it.  Many of the respected people in our nation and world have some amount of power.  However many of the respected people lose their popularity and respect, because they abuse their power, as sheriff hadley does in, A Ranger Rides to Town, by Louis L’Amour.  People use their power to gain respect of others and when they abuse their power they are punished for it.  Not only do people abuse their power and don’t do their jobs properly, but also these people are punished.
    In the short story A Ranger Rides to Town by Louis L’Amour Sheriff Hadley abuses his power and doesn’t properly do his job.  Sheriff Hadley explains to Bowdrie “I didn’t know there were any rangers in these parts.”  Bowdrie scenes that something is wrong, because Captain McNelly always

notified local law enforcement of his rangers’ movement.   This proves to Bowdrie that Hadley is not taking his job seriously.  Although Bowdrie notices this and other evidence that Sheriff Hadley is abusing his power, Bowdrie holds off, waiting to see if the sheriff will reveal himself.  Not only does Bowdrie notice that Sheriff Hadley is abusing his power, but also Bowdrie catches and punishes him.
    Later, Bowdrie explains to Sheriff Hadley how he was abusing his power, Bowdrie remarks “you had a nice job, people respected you.”  This shows that people respected and trusted Hadley.

Bowdrie confronts Hadley with the evidence convicting him of bank robbery and murder in the process.  Hadley explains to Bowdrie “You’ve got no proof Bowdrie, all you got is speculation.”  This tells Bowdrie that his speculations were correct.  Hadley goes and gets the loot. Hadley was planning to ride right out of town and leave his job, his trust, and his respect of the citizens behind him.  When Hadley realizes that his horse was gone he comes out into the street where Bowdrie catches him red handed with the loot, incriminating him.  Bowdrie stops Hadley, but he goes for his gun, Bowdrie instantly replies, and shoots Hadley twice in the chest.  Although Hadley is killed after he shattered his trust and respect, not all people who destroy their trust are punished in this

way.
In conclusion, Louis L’Amour’s short story A Ranger Rides to Town conforms Edward Abbey’s quote about power.  Louis L’Amour displays the dangers and consequences of power abuse.  Many other people in our world have abused their power and have been punished for it.  Abbey’s quote explains that people don’t know how others will respond to power and should be tested with small amounts of power before being given larger amounts of power.  People try to gain the respect of others through power, but when they are caught they are punished as Sheriff Hadley is.