New-York tribune., 1895-01-27
MODERN LYING.

~, ,hor.,ora.s sarcastic suggestion In re-
cant issue Of London Truth '""' 'o!a' 'o'"-
mission should be appointed 10 co"siuer '"e ques-
t,on of official lying in the HOUSE VI |o'''oiS
s,rve. n draw attention &c serious anu grow
a., ,,u inherent and II is 10 DC ieateo ihoiS-
..,soh,. Z, the social system OF the present era.
II ENGLAND as in all the CONSTRUCTORS oou"-
,r,os ~ Europe where the Caoihet officers occupy
Uies y, par,ament. the legislators enjoy the
80. -, ,nterrogating the Government with re-
i'e s - IFS policy and its administration Of the
ea.. =, the nation. Frequently these inquiries
an extremely indiscreet and awkward
arc .or. and If addressed by the Opposition.
rov intended either to embarrass the
,,.ors or TO inveigle them into making state
-. of a compromising and boomerang nature.
~. result is that those representatives of the
government who constitute its mouthpieces in
parliament devote a considerable amount or
labor as we'll ingenuity to answering these
nuestions in such manner to mislead those
nv whom they are made and to misrepresent
what Is the truth. Indeed, the promotion of
Parliamentary undergraduates, Junior Lords
and Of other budding statesmen depends in
great measure upon the cleverness displayed by
them in answering questions in the House;
and thus official premium is set by the high
es, authorities of the land upon equivocation and
lying.
u cannot be denied that this is contributing in
O large degree to the decline of that lofty regard
.or truth which in the good old times const-
,uted one Of the finest qualities of the English
sneaking race. True. the frankness was often
brutal sometimes even cruel; yet it formed, so
IN sneak the backbone of the people. its prn-
ci,al source Of strength; and although foreigners
might sneer at our boorshness. they respected
our yeracity. Like the Chinese. we were reputed
disagreeable-what the French SO picturesquely
describe as 'mauvais coucheurs" (anglice. un-
pleasant bedfel.ows)-but, as in the case of the
Chinese our word was accepted as being as good
ne our bond And the distinction between
American and English statesmen on the one
side and those of foreign countries on the other
was that 1t was possible TO credit implicitly
the assurances Of the former. while in
the case of the latter II usually advisable
to believe just the contrary of what they as
serted No one realized this to greater extent
or took advantage thereof in a more amusing
manner than the founder OF the German En-
pre- Prince Bismarck. Unlike the Macchiavelh
Of old he made point of invariably blurting out
the truth. even when he might have remained
silent thereby successfully misleading diplomats
reputed the shrewdest Of their day. For they
could not realize that he really meant what he
theory that like themselves. he used the gift Of
speech merely to conceal his thoughts and plans.
and usually placed Interpretation upon his
utterances directly opposite to their meaning.
Prince Bismarck, however. like Benjamin
Franklin, who pursued an identical policy of
straightforwardness at the court Of Versailles
nearly 100 years previously with similar con-
sequences. belongs to a bygone age. and So alas!
speaking broadly, does the school or BRUSH
statesmen that placed veracity In political and
official life on the same basis as personal honor
1t is certainly not in the days OF Robert Peel OF
Canning and Of William Pitt that Ministers Of
the Crown would have been permitted to pledge
in Parliament their word to things which they
knew to be untrue, without loss Of considera-
ton, prestige and respect Different ideas now
prevail. and lying has TO such degree become
part and parcel of our social system that pos
five chaos would result were the reign OF truth
TO be suddenly re-established. This is to be de-
plored for with all due respect to English-speak-
ing people, they do not make successful liars.
In the first place. they lack imagination. in
ventiye power and a sense of the picturesque.
Neither they as a rule sufhcientiy quick In
repartee and fertile in resource Ihey are de-
void Of the gift OF artistic ornamentatlon, IN
dispensable to the really accomplished har. and
finally, they are HANDICAPPED by remnants of
those scruples for truth which they may be said
TO imbibe with their mothers milk In tenderest
infancy--and the slightest scruple for truth, 1t
must be borne in mind. is fatal to the perfect
lie. However. these impedmenta are bound 70
disappear within the space of the next genera
ton or two. But II will take considerably longer
before we can ever hope to rival in the art Of
living Orentals such the Persians. the Turks.
the Indisns and the Japanese All these may be
described as born liars instead OF being merely
educated to untruth In our case. The Per-
SLAMS for instance. lie even when the truth would
serve their purpose equally well-u have some
times however. been tempted to believe that
there is a Persian strain in the blood OF the do
mestic servant class in this country)-but they
do 1t so glibly. so artistically and so agreeably
that they actually command your admiration
and esteem. Oriental lying presents a striking
analogy to Oriental embroidery In each case
the foundation Is OF the very fimsiest char
acter: but so profuse is the application and 80
intricate the design thereof that one loses sight
altogether of the unsubstantial character Of the
original fabric. Orientas exempfy above all
others the very highest type OF liar. and when
they tell fib they are prepared for all that Its
creation entails. namely. the necessity of being
ready with two or three dozen more with
which to prop it up. and for each OF these
subsidiary lies they may have to coin
still others, task which they never shirk
and through which they go with supreme
grace and consummate skill To accom-
plish this demands constructive talent OK
the highest order, and where this Is absent the
strain upon the mind and imagination Is so
great that the person Is liable TO break down
and to make that false step which brings down
the whole edifce to the ground.
Possibly 1t is because there Is a strongly de-
veloped touch of the Oriental In tner compost
ton that tie Russians enjoy the reputation OF
being the most accomplished and artistic
liars Of Europe and one OF their most famous
diplomats and statesmen, General Count iena
tier, now president Of the powerful Pan-S.avist
Society. actually earned for himself while Am
bassador at Constantinope. and subsequently as
Minister Of the Interior at 81 Petersourg the