New-York tribune., 1896-12-25
INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL.

70 bear false witness against neighbor
that is. TO lie about him. 10 malign him. To d-
fame his character-is Il sin. Tile moral law
puts il in the same category with theft ana
murder. The coninon law recognizes II as ai
offence against personal rights and social Or'irr.
The statute law of civilized countries sets II
down as a crime against the state punishable
ly fine and Imprisonment. ana rs wrong
against the Individual for which indemnity
may he recovered. Such is The case. That Is i1
say when the act Of bearing false witness II
directed against a ncighbOr III IA somewhat
strict Interpretation Of that term. But the tie
gree of culpability decreases as the square or
the distance of the object attacked increases;
and when that object is beyond the limits Of
ones own country. and is moi n private indi-
vidual. but Il sovereign. a government or
nation. the culpability is reckoned 10 vanish al
together Burke did not know how 10 draw
Up an indictment against whole people
There are plenty Of men who do know how
TO libel whole people and too few who reck-
on such libel Il crime.
Yet there are few more grievous offences
against good morals. against true religion
1t is easy enough TO talk and preach and sing
about peace on earth. goodwill 10 men,
We hear much of il at This season OF the year
But what sort Of fulhmcnt of that sublime
message are men working for when they ha
biiually abuse and revile those Of their neigh
bors who happen 10 be separated from them
hy political boundary lines. or differences of
government. speech. or race: If that message
means anything. il means that all men. the
world over. neighbors. and that peace and
goodwill should prevail among them every
where. Surely II does not conduce to peace TO
call one nation a nation Of butchers. nor pro-
mote goodwill 10 refer habiiually 10 another
aS an intcrna tional thief. 1t is easy 10 say
This Power is Il bully and that ruler an as-
sassin. Bui if he charges be not irue what
becomes of the Commandment against bearing
false witness: And II is not enough not to
know they are not true. No one has right
10 make, them unless he knows they are true.
Even then he will do well 10 heed the admon
tior. let him HAT IS without sin east the first
stone
For are our Government and social order
inlpeccallc rs 10 make America the chartered
censor Of creation: We are angry with China
when her mobs harry and Kill our mission
aries Ru, what OF the Cinnamon harred and
Killed here. not only with impuniiy. but with
praise: We rage against the Turk for the
horrors in Armenia. Bui what Of our hundreds
OF victims of lynching. some of them burned
aj the stake. fayod alive. and sawn asundcrf
II is HE cheap sheer Of the cheapest jingOisn
to call Great Britain bully. rcbber and
land pirate. But were American hands clean
either of oppression Of land theft. Ia the
matter of our war with Mexicof Or has our
faith toward the Indians been always flaw
less and untarnlshed? II is just as well 10 60
slowly in this business of bearing witness
false or true. against our neighbors Of other
lands: TO bear in mind too, the unamiablencss
Of scolding: and 10 remember the character Of
her who lief, not even Lanceot brave. nor
Galalad clean.
II is well for q nation. as for man, to
speak boldly and 10 rebuke evil. But plain
speaking is FAR different ,hiDg from indis
crimirate 'slnng-whanging. The latter Is GER
tain in time TO have one Of two effects. Either
II will make It's author contemptlble so that
nothing he may say will be regarded seriously
or else IT will SOW discord fomeDt hatred. and
perhaps cause open war. II he who pr0vOkes
unfripndlincss between individuals Is m enemy
of both. he vino makes nations hostile Is an
enemy Of mankind History Is not devoid Of
instances Of interna tional feuds and wars aris
ing simply from persistent misrepresentation