The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-05-22
Mental Independence.


Generally speaking. a mans every action
will hinge upon the good will and opinion
of some one else. He does this thing in
this way because some one else did the same
thing in like manner. In desultory way
he believes thing because some one else
told him so. Many things he does and says
every day is but reflex of the thoughts
and opinions of Others or under the strain
Of the fear of what others may say. To
be guided in minor matters of everyday
life by the thoughts of others is all very
we'll for those whose mental calibre is light,
for as rule no harm will be done except
as tool for the wrong doing of another.
But when the we'll being of self and those
closely connected with self is involved, then
it becomes a very different matter, for then
one should have independence of mind and
force of character to sufficient degree to
have personal opinion in the matter. 1t
is these namby- PANTY, irresOlute thinkers
who bring much trouble, injustice and CEN
sure upon themselves and friends. They
have no thought but to cater to the wishes
and opinions of others, and nine times out of
ten if they have found one OF their own
it is put to flight Immediately by the dis
paragement of some one with whom they
desire to curry favor or good will.
do not mean to say that one may not be
benefited by a suggestion or opinion of an
other, for the interchange of thought is the
keystone of the advancement of all the arts
and sciences. 1t is to this. together with
research, that we owe our present enlight-
ened condition. One may advance the
nucleus of theory and be unable to fully
develop it without the aid of another, and
when developed be not able to apply it
without other assistance.
A question of Importance to a mans So
cial interests OF otherwise arises. He de-
cides in his own mind the course he is to
pursue, but as others will be effected, he
must necessarily make known to them
his intended action, and just here will be
the clash of mind. Your opponent knows
from his own interested standpoint and
uses his powers of sophistry to unsettle
your opinion in favor of his-to diSSuade
your mind from its already premeditated
course of action. Now, if you change your
mind what will be the cause? One of two
things: yOnr opponent will have satisfied
you that your ground was untenable by a
just array of facts to prove it or you will
And in either case you are at fault, for in
the first place. if you were officially wrong,
you were careless in conclusion, therefore
unsafe in judgment. And in the second
case you are guilty of mental cOwardice or
have bartered your intellectual manhood for
sOrdid motives.
Is their any man so despicable as the one
who will deliberately sacrifice his liberty of
conscience for an unhOly motive? He stul-
titles himself to himself and abuses his own
self-respect. l say unhOly, because it is so,
for the intellect or reasoning power is the
brightest jewel in the composition of man
and is the breath of God himself infused in
him at creation, and when a man prosti-
tutes it, it is Sacrlege.
By all the ethical laws of argument. as
plainly evident as the simplest problem in
Euclid, man arrives at the conclusion that
drinking distilled spirits as practice is not
conducive to health and forms the resolu-
ton to abstain from it, yet within twenty
four hours time some person will induce him
to change his opinion for the time being at
least, and give up his own sense of right to
please another. He may say it is the appe-
tite for drink which is the real cause, but
not so, for had it not been for the impOr-
tunity of the other, he might withstand the
temptation. But in either case he surren-
ders his will to do right, to do that which
is the reverse. And these things are done
day by day by untold thousands who have
as little thought of its debasing enOrmity as
they have of any commonplace act in ordi-
nary routine life. We should strive to
reason from true and correct standpoint
in all things to arrive at true and just con-
clusion, and when convinced of the right,
the right dare maintain. j.