Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-09
PUBLIC REGARD FOR TRUTH.

BiaIne's s11endacIty and Tergtyersations
ss the Causes OF His Defeat.
{ Blaine recently said that the nominal
ton for the Presidency had been thrust
at him. aud he, did not feel justified in
declining it. This is political. or, more
strictly speaking, parliamentary Ian
guage of that nature coming more gem
orally into use among politicians as the
world grows older.
There Is no reason why a politician
should not tell the truth. He has to
mix with all classes of people; sees all
phases OF life; possesses rare opportuni-
ties for the study of human nature, and,
If originally without talent for close
observation, his constant intercourse
with men should of itself nourish into
activity even his most latent possessions
of the perceptive quality and cause him
to learn the one fact which his observa-
ton surely teaches-namely, that peo-
pie demand truthful utterances from
public men. They are supposed to
speak for the masses, and therefore
their responsibility is all the greater.
John Stuart Mill was once invited to
stand for Parliament by a few friends
who knew his great ability. He con-
sented, but he was generally unknown
to the people of that particular district.
The voting population was made
up largely of workingmen. His op-
ponent, who regarded his candidacy
with indifference, had, he was GER
tain, one bomb which, when. exploded.
would shatter Mills slightest chance of
success. 1t was report that had been
raked up from the past to the effect that
Mill had once said that 1.-THE working
GLASSES of England are given to lying"
ibid you ever make that remark"
asked Mills opponent at an immense
mass meeting composed almost entirely
of the working classes. Mills straight
ened himself, looked the man in the
eve. and said simply: Il did" That
was all-no explanation; no equivalent.
What was the result? That meeting,
made up as it was of the working
classes, sent forth shout of applause
which shook the building. Here was a
public man who had the courage to tell
the truth about remark he had made,
although the truth appeared damaging
to him. He had made an assertion he
should not have made, but he did not
attempt to escape the penalty by equiv
ocation. 1t elected Mill. These people
whom he had once dispraised realized
that they would get in him man
whose word they could rely upon. They
felt that here at least was one public
man who was not given to lying.
: If one cause more than another can
be given for Blaine's defeat it is to be
found in the fact that the people had
ceased to believe what he said. He had
made so many miscellaneous that the
public wanted the af1idavits to substan-
tate his utterances. He had made that
mistake so surprisingly common among
public men-namely, that the people
can be fooled more than once. It is a
contrary fact that the masses are like
child. One untruth can forfeit a trust
of years. Aud Blaine has lied repeat
eddy, but never so transparently as
when he avowed that he did not Try to
get the Republican nomination for the
Presidency.
His last reported utterance is that he
will never again be a candidate. But
who believes him? Who can believe
him? Because a man is a Republican
it is not necessarily held that he is
liar. Because man is public man it
Is not necessarily held that all public
men are liars. But Blaine as being
conspicuous Republican and public man
has been shining exemplitication of
the fact that both Republicans and pub
lie men can lie and do lie too often.-l
Richmond (Fa.) State.