The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-11-23
Public Opinion.

iicdtlOn OF that immortal document
with which his name will ever be
associated. And a decent respect
to the opinions of mankind, even
when "mankind" consists of small
circle of acquaintance, is always
characteristic Of man who has any
respect for himself. To merit the
good opinion Of ones fellow.men is
generally necessary to success in
life, aud to desire to merit it is praise.
worthy. 1t will generally be found
that the prevailing opinion in the
community regarding one of it's citi.
zens is about right. In the estima.
ton of their fellows, men usually
get, in the long run, about the stand.
ing they deserve. And again it is
oftentimes painfully evident that
many who profess to care the least
for public opinion, really care the
most for it. Eccentricity or oddly
in a man when it springs out of his
very nature can be tolerated and is
often amusing. Eccentricity of de
meanor covers some of the warmest
hearts and quickest sympathies in
the world. But there is great deal
of oddity in this world, assumed for
the purpose of showing the world
how little its opinion is cared for,
which really grows out of morbid
fear of public opinion. The man
who persists in certain course be.
cause the world approves it, and
the man who persists in a certain
course because the world condemns
it, are both governed by the fear of
public opinion-they both pursue
their way with ears stretched out
to catch "what folks will say" We
should neither have nor affect a total
disregard for the opinions of our fell
low-men.
But on the other hand we owe de-
ference to public opinion only to
certain extent. We owe it to no
slavish obedience. We owe it to
not to truckle to it or be
cowed by it or disregard or violate
any principle of integrity for the
sake ofconciliating it. Ifanything
10 the world makes a man slavish
and deceitful and intensely misera.
BILE it is the attempt to please every
body. A man who is half man
will run counter to some other mans
opinions. A man who has more re-
gard for principle than he has for
popularity will be sure to have enc
mics. 1t is all very we'll for time
server, a political trickster, to make
current prejudice his guide. lie
cares more to be on the winning side
than on the right side. He cares
more for office than for principle
The object Of all his scheming and
intriguing and wire pulling is to
keep in the main current of popular
opinion. That current carries the
most votes. The most votes carry
him to Office. Office gives him a
chance to live easy at the expense of
the public. 1t is perfectly natural
for such a man to bend all his ener
gles to the work OF getting in aud
keeping in the tide Unpopular favor.
But if man cares more for princi
pies of right than he does for the
emoluments of Office; if he would
rather keep the laws of God than
fawn for the favor Of man; then he
will stand by those principles and
laws though he cross the current of
popularopinion at rightangles every
day of his life. To exchange prin-
ciple for popularity, to exchange
self-respect for popular applause, is
a very poor bargain. Aud yet it is
bargain which thousands are max.
ing every day, more greedy for pub
tic favor than solicitons for private
honor.
We owe Difference to the nublic