The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-21
Lying as q Science-Liars.

Editor Morning NelOS: / was requested
to write an article on the subject of liars
and lying, not, as the requester said, that
was an expert in that line, but because be
said he thought could handle the subject
as an essayist. l thanked him for the rather
doubtful compliment. He though some one
was lying in their business and their lying
was hurting his business. Competition has
sharp'eyes, quick ears and sensitive feelings,
Seldishness is the mighty driving wheel in
mans nature; il is his greatest incentive to
all action, desire for wealth, honor, posi-
ton, and influence. A mau is more like hog
by nature than any other animal that walks
the ear b. There is an affinity of nature
between men and hogs, for the devils who
were IN man when cast out By Jesus, asked
permission to enter hogs; doubtless they
felt more at home there when out of man
than anywhere else They knew we'll the
leading Characterization Of men and hogs.
The iron rnle of life is: ITO keep all you
have got, and get all you eau, and don't be
very nice about it." David Of old must
have known something about lying aud
liars; for we find in Psalm cxvi, II: II said
in my haste, all men are liars" David
must not have been In any particular haste.
for If he was anything OF a casuist,
or a close observer Of human nature.
he would have said: 'Men were
natural born liars with qualih-
cations" As a general rule men are honest
because it pays to be honest, and not honest
from the profound principle that honesty is
but the essence of all justice, fair dealing
and strict truth The saying: THAT every
man has his price !" Ia not strictly true. But
when it is said that every man has his
peculiar temptations, his weak points of
character, some mental or physical allure
we are very near the truth. Price means
to buy a man, temptations mean a certain
weakness in character. Price means q
venality, temptation, desire. They should
never be COMPOUNDED as meaning the same
thing.
There are many kinds Of lying and liars,
Of all sorts and shades-the professional
liar, the business liar, the jovial liar, the ex-
aggersting liar and the liar in general. The
professional liar Is interested ia his cause,
case or client. The suppression of a fact or
truth is lying the stating Of half fact or
truth Is lying; the garblng of a sentence,
word or quotation is lying the suppression
of the context and conveying wrong idea
is lying; ambiguity OF words or expression
is lying. There are what we call white lies
and very black lies. No profession is en-
tirely free from lying. Many men lie ig-
norantly. II he is ignorant he is excusable.
but IL he knows be is dealing with an ale
CORY be should 30 instruct his audience.
Allegories may illustrate truth, but they
are not actual facts Sophistry is indirect
lying.
The lawyers many times are very
! economical With the truth. They do not
want the truth. the whole truth and Moth
ing but the truth unless it is all in their
favor. The physician lies when he tells bis
patient that he Is not in any danger Of
death when he knows there is no hope.
True. there may be much policy in the affair,
for the patient may be of that nervous nat
ure as 60 be made rapidly worse TO know
the real state of his sickness. He might be
ranked as a white liar when he does lie.
But the monumental liar is the business
liar. He lies direct, positive. for money.
"Words are wise mems counters, they do
but reckon by them; but they are the money
| of fools"
Few think that truth IN business is the
very best of all capital; yet it is the very
best stock man can have In his store or
business. Stewart Of New York, the great
merchant, would not permit lying as to
! the character or quality Of his goods. His
truthfulness was his character and his sue
cess in life. But seltlshness will lie; the de-
sire for gain is all absorbing, and mems con-
sciences become more elastic than india
rubber. To lie successfully, scientifically
seems with some to be an accomplishment,
and when you hear the expression, sit is
hard to find an honest man." it may be
| freely translated, "All men are liars In their
business" Liars and lying were not uncom-
mon in ancient days. The Bible is full and
pointed on that frailty Of human nature
Liar, liars. lying and lie are mentioned Ill
times. 1t seems to have been as fashionable
as now, and poor human nature was the
snme. Diogenes with his lamp looking for
an honest man was looking for one
who did not lie. He had looked over the
tax books and exclaimed: where can an
honest man be founds will get my lamp
and look for him" r. NJ. o.