St. Landry democrat., 1884-07-19
Industry and Eeraclty.

AuuuStEY ana FeEhCtbJs
There are some virtues which seem
to have peculiar affinity for one
another, each strengthening and deVel-
oping the other by its own power OF
growth. Such are industry and verac-
ity. OF course we can not say that the
busiest people are invariably the most
truthful, but only that the tendency OF
industry as such is in that direction 1t
is true that industrial occupations
sometimes offer temptations to untruth-
fulness, and might thereby seem calcu-
lated to retard rather than to stimulate
the virtue of veracity. The induce
ments to prevarication in regard to the
quality and quantity of goods and
labor. and still more to the suppression
of facts which would affect their value.
are numerous and strong, and some I'M
doubtedly yield to them.
We have, however, thoroughly learned
the lesson that mutual confidence is the
cornerstone of all social industries, and
that truthfulness in word and deed is
the only basis of mutual confidence.
TruthfuIness, therefore. naturally ac-
quires much higher rank in the minds
of an industrious community than it
can in any other. With US, in public
estimation at least, it occupies the post
of honor, and though doubtless many
people infringe it in secret. none can be
found bold enough to defend it. 1t is
held as test of noble character that q
man is candid, sincere and trustworthy
that his word is reliable and his prom
Uses secure. On the other hand, false
hood, evasion and deceit are esteemed
disgracefuI, and those who deal in them
are chiefly concerned lest they should
be found out.
Mr. Lecky, in his History of European
Morals, asserts that different ages and
nations have different rudimentary
virtues, or virtues upon which. they lay
the emphasis. Sometimes it has been
Loyalty to leader, sometimes patriot
ism, sometimes the reverential SPIRIT
sometimes independence, sometimes
humility. Whoever in any particular
community is decidedly lacking in such
a rudimentary virtue is below the aver
age of moral excellence, because he has
neglected what is generally esteemed
the very first element of righteousness
Our own term common honesty" inn
plies that this is at least one of our rue
dimentary virtues, without which no
one can hope to rise in the scale OF
moral progress.
If we compare our state of things in
this respect with that which exists
among INDECENT nations of southern
chimes, or other thriftless communities
that love ease better than labor. we
shall find marked difference. Instead
of feeling vain in our fancied superb
GRITTY to such people, perhaps if we
compared our practical devotion to
what appeals to us as the foundation of
all virtue, with their devotion to some
thing else that occupies that place to
them, we might feel cause rather, for
ESTABLISHMENTS. We may rightly feel
glad that we have learned the value of
Yeracity, that our industries have
proved it to be one of the foundations
of all social welfare, of all true BUSH
ness relations, of all progress in moral
ity ard civilization. And yet how far
are some from emLodying this accepted
belief in their daily practice! How
and insincerities of which men are
guilty, how many silences where truth
demands speech, how many promises
unredeemed, or kept to tho letter, but
broken in the spirit! It's for what we
admit, for what we believe, for what
we know, that we arc responsiblei and
if we hold truthfulness in such high re-
pute that we plume ourselves over
others on account OF it, then we are
doubly blamable if we disoWn it in the
conduct of our daily life. Increasing
civilization and increasing knowledge
open up to us more and more the ma
ture and respective value of the quail
ties that constitute true manhood. But
that manhood can only be realized by
constantly infusing the knowledge we
gain into our daily life, by yitalizing it
in our hearts and conduct, by following
closely the ideal we form, and by Civ
ing the whole allegiance of our nature
to those principles which we honor in
our thoughts and with our lips
Philadelphia Ledger.