The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-09
From the London Truth.

risy.
From the London Truth.
Mr.. I,abouchere's sarcastic suggestion
that a royal commission should be ap-
poiuted TO consider the question of Of
fcial lying in the house commons serves
~ draw attention to a serious and grow
ing evil inherent, and. it is to be feared.
INDISPENSABLE, to the social system of the
present era.
In England, as in all the constitutional
countries Of Europe, where the cabinet
officers occupy seats in parliament, the
LEGISLATORS enjoy the right Of intercepting
the government with regard to its policy
and its administration of the affairs of
the nation
Frequently these inquiries are of an ex-
tremeIy indiscreet and awkward charac-
ter. and if addressed by the opposition,
are usually intended either to en-
.barrass the ministry, or to inveigle them
into making statements of a compromis-
ing and boomerang nature.
The result is that those representatives
of the government who constitute It's
mouth pieces in parliament devote a con-
siderable AMOUNT of labor. as we'll as in
ganuity. to answering these questions in
such a manner as to mislead those by
whom they are made, and to misrepresent
what is the truth.
Indeed the promotion of parliamentary
undersecrctsries, junior lords and of other
budding statesmen depends in a great
measure upon the cleverness displayed by
them in answering questions in the
house. and thus an official premium is set
by the highest authorities of the land
uDon cquivOcauon and lying.
n cannot be denied that this is oontri-
buting in a large degree to the decline
of that lofty Tegafd lor truth, WhlSh
of the finest qualities OF the English
speaking races
True. the frankness was often brutal
sometimes even cruel, yet II formed so
to speak, the backbone of the people, Its
principal source of strength, and, al
though foreigners might sheer at our
boorishnoss. they respected our veracity
Like the Chinese. we were reputed dis
ACKNOWLEDGMENT the French so pictur-
taHglice, unpleasant bedtellows)-but, as
in the case Of the Chinese, our word was
accepted as being as good as our bond.
And the dstipction between American
and English statesmen on the one side
and those Of foreign countries on the
other. consisted therein, tat whereas
It was possible TO implicitly credit the as
surances of the former, in the case OF
the latter it was usually advisable to be
lieve just the contrary of what they as
serted. No one realized this TO a greater
extent or took advantage thereof in a
more amusing manner than the founder
of the German empire, Prince Bismarck.
Unlike the Machavelli of old. he made
point of invariably hurting out the truth,
even when he might have remained silent
thereby successfully misleading diplomats
reputod the shreWdest of their day.
For they could not realize that he really
meant what he said and persisted in act
ing on the mistaken theory that, like
themselves he used the gift of speech
merely TO conceal his thoughts and plans,
and usually placed an Interpretation upon
his utterances directly opposite to their
Prince Bismarck, however. like Ben
Jamin Franklin, who pursued an incl
dental policy of straightforw at
the court of Versailles nearly 100 years
previously with similar consequences, be-
longs to a by-gone age, ana, so, alas!
speaking broadlA, does the school of
British statesmen that placed veracity in
political and official life on the same basis
as personal honor
1t is certainly not in the days of Rob
ert Peel of Canning and William Pitt that
ministers of the crown would have been
permitted to pledge in parliament Their
WORD 10 things which thew knew 10 be
untrue, without loss OF consideration
prestige and respect.
Different ideas now prevail. and lying
has TO such a degree become part and
parcel of our social system that positive
chaos would result were the reign or
truth to be suddenly re-established. This
is to be deplored for with all due re-
spect TO English speaking people, they
do not make successful liars.
inventive power and a sense of the pictur-
esque. Neither are they as rule, sufh-
GENTLY quick in repartee and fertile re-
source. They are devoid OF the GIT or
artistic ornamentatiOn, indispensable to
the really accomplished liar and final
" they are handicapped by remnants OF
those scruples for truth which they may
be said TO imbibe with their mothers
milk in tcnderest infancy-and the slight
est scruple for truth, it must be borne in
mind, IS fatal to the perfect lie. How
ever these impediments are bound to
disappear within the space Of the next
generation or two. But it will take con-
TO rival in the art of lying orientals. such
as the Persians, the Turks, the Indians
All these may be described as born
Iars, instead of being merely educated to
unlruth, as in our case.
Inc Persians, for instance, lie even
When the truth would serve their pur-
pose equally well Q have sometimes, how
ever, been tempted to believe that there
IS Persian strain in the blood of the do
Iiesllc servant class in this country, but
they do 1t so gliby, so artistically and
so agreeably that they actually command
your admiration and esteem.
oriental lying presents a striking an
aloSy to oriental embroidery. In each case
the foundation is of the very flimsiest
character, but so profuse is the applica-
uon, so intricate the design thereof that
one loses sight altogether of the unsub-
Stan1al character of the original fabric.
OnentalS exemplify, above all others, the
very highest type of liar and when they
zen NIB they are prepared for all that its
creation entails-namely, the necessity of
belng ready with two or three dozen more
with which to- prop it up, and for each of
Inese subsidiary lies they may have to
Gem still others, a task which they so
WIN supreme grace and consummate
TO accomplish this demands constructive
ttaient of the highest order, and where
ms rs absent the strain upon the mind
ana imagination is so great that the per-
son IS liable to break down and to make
IIe raise step which brings down the whole
ounce to the ground
,FFobably it is because there is a strong
~ developed touch of the oriental in their
SOnposltlon that the Russians enjoy the
reputation of being the most accomplished
T tI,d artistic liars of Europe, and one of
Ilelr most famous diplomats and states
men, Gen. Count Ignatieff. now president
o tl the powerful Pan-Slavist Society. ac-
Suaily earned for himself while ambassa-
oor at Constantinople and subsequently
ss minister of the interior at st. Peters
TPqqrg the nickname of THE Father of
The late car, who was the most