The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-07-25

tnan tn0 sell lI-lnuulSeuCe OIL lno pain
man of strong opinions who does not
stop to consider the lights and shades
of conversations; there is the use made
of freedom of speech by the people who
have strain of cruelty in their nature,
who find pleasure in being disagree
able and making those to whom they
speak uncomfortable, and who try to
disguise their love of throwing a rank
ling shaft by dressing it up as virtue.
In no way can a cruel hearted man or
woman give vent to unkindness so
readily as by aping an exceedingly
valiant honesty. Sometimes these dis
agreeable features Of plain-speaking
will become more hateful through
taking an inquisitOrial turn.
The lover of perfect openness and
freedom of speech will not only say
anything that comes into his mind on
the ground that it is "only the truth"
but he-or perhaps more often She
will ask any question that may be ex-
pected to crafty curiosity. Why should
we have any cOncealments Why
should we not be free and abOve-b board =?
These are the questions asked by I'M
pertinence dressed up as InGuiring
Candor. According to the people, the
heart and mind of each of us should be
like an open house, into every nook of
which any passer-by may enter, and the
honest man will have no mental reser-
vations, no sacred scenery where his
thoughts and convictions are forming.
What wonder that the sensitive nature
closes up instantly under the presence
of the petty curiosity or blundering
dulness of the candid inquisitor?
The candor that is careful of express
sion through courtesy to the hearer
must, of course, be separated from the
reticence which is due to cOWardice.
The one is due to consideration for an
opponent and a desire to place the
truth, as it seems to the speaker, in the
most favorable light; the other is busy
with inward-turning thoughts and
selfish tremors.
The moment fidelity to truth comes
into question, be it only indirectly, a
way ought to be found for making ones
testimony clear and unmistakable,
though not necessarily aggressive. And
there are occasions, too, on which can
dor should be as direct, clear and un-
escapable as the most brutal plain
speaker could wish. 1t all depends up
on the audience. When dealing with
the cunning and slippery. and some
times with the self deceptive who will
not see themselves as others see them
if they can help it, it is essential that
talk should be point blank as to admit
of no possible misconceptions; but
surely talk of this kind ought to be
a painful duty, and not daily delight,
as it is with some rude lovers of gruff
candor.
Without candor being eventually ar
rived at, there can be no genuine trust
in our fellOw-men. If concealment and
suspicion and finessing are to be the
vogue, we shall always be tossed on a
sea of doubt; intercourse will be wan
dering in mist of deceit. No man
that is not coward will be afraid of
saying what he thinks, if he sees the
necessity of saying anything at all; but
expressions of opinion that are sure to
be hard sayings to some should be
marked by good taste, by a study of the
audience, by the absence of that sharp
rattle of antagonism in which the
plain-speaker delights, and which is
born of love of fighting rather than a
love of truth. 1t is for this polished
candor that we put in a plea, and fol
the right to maintain a reserve OF
opinions that are forming or are hello
dear, opinions that the questioner has
no right to probe.-Philadelphia, pa,
Saturday Evening Post.