West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-03-09


and such of their hearers as are able
to read character endeavor to get at
their real opinions by looking behind
their words for the true meaning: of
reading between the lines" of their
letters. The result to both these
classes of men, which include many
who would not Intentionally deceive
or boldly tell an untruth, is grad
ual loss of reputation, which impairs
the effect of what they may say or
write, and so reduces their useful
ness. The loss may not be great to
the private citizen in the ordinary
affairs of life, but should he come to
occupy high position and have his
words heralded by the press to
wide circle of people, his want of
| frankness and candor, his secretiye
disposition or his habits Of exagger-
alton will greatly impair his power
and influence. Then he finds that
his protestations are of no ayail,and
| that however sincere he may be for
the time, his words are not believed.
He is like dumb man without the
power of communicating with his
fellow-creatures. The language he
uses, though set forth in the dicton-
aries, is assumed to have a variable
meaning and to be subject to various
interpretations. In private life his
| failing or fault may be discussed
without his knowledge, but if he is
a public man, he is subjected to the
modification of having his word
openly doubted, and of having tue
meaning of what he says distorted
by some, discussed by everybody, on
the assumption that he cannot be
depended upon to tell the exact
truth. Painful as such position
must be, it is legitimate couse-
quence of long course OF dupliclty
or inexactness or want OF candor.
that has built up bad reputation
for truth-telling. The man who finds
himself thus distrusted, especially If
he be in the main honest, must look
with envy upon his neighbor, whose
candid disposition and scrupulous
regard for truth have made his word
"as good rs his bond" and whose
most unexpected and remarkable
statements are at once accepted as
true. With the one, every discussion
that is started helps to weaken and
break down with the other, every
veriiication of what he says helps to
build it up. 1t is customary to re-
gard the politician as peculiarly adj
dicted to false statements or TO such
perversions and suppressions Of the
truth as throw doubt upon his word.
But if the word politician is given
| it's broad meaning and made to IN
clude that class known as statesmen,
this is not fair deduction. Among
politicians of the higher order hon
esty, frankness. truth are as essen
tial to the control Of men and per-
manent popularity and success as
with business men. Their reputa-
tions are even more exposed than
those of other people to taint if they
exhibit any insincerity of word or
action. They may and should be
polite in their utterances, bat never
nntruthfu. They may be diploma
tically silent at times, but they can
not affor1 to risk their regulations
by ambiguous talk or double.dealing
of any kind. 1t is true that some
may thrive for time by smartncss
that has in it no element OF candor.
but their ultimate fall is assured by
the gradual undermining of their
regulations. First their enemies,
and then their friends will begin TO
doubt and disbelicve, and when their
friends have begun TO doubt, their
influence is permanently impaired.
1t is needless to seek for examples
in public life Partisan bias and
prejudice make all such illustrations
unsatisfactory because the facts
the m selves are sure to be disputed:
but any one who cares to do so can,
by looking around him, find public
men whose advancement has been
checked by public doubts Of their
sincerity, candor and truthInlness,
and others who have been elevated
to high Office because Of popular
faith in their scrupulous honor In
many of these cases, too, it will be
found that the reputation has been
a growth Of years; that it is an airy
nothing for which no sure founda-
tion can be found, and yet that it is
the determining factor in the great
crisis of mems lives. The moral is
SO obvious that it is scarcely neces-
sary to do more than call attention
to the importance in private as in
public life Of such frankness. exact
ness and truthfulness as shall de-
velop a good reputation founded
upon good character.
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