The Nome nugget., 1903-10-31
BACKBITING, MORAL COURAGEETC.

It is easy for a certain class of people to attack the characters and assa the reputation of others, while the assaed ones are not present If the num- Der of people who talk about others "behind their backs' were to be censused, surprisingly large and imposing array would undoubtedly be made. It takes certain amount of both moral and physical courage to tell another person that you do not esteem him little bit and to in other ways express in words your contempt in a personal way. However, there be many persons who are privately 'hauled over the coas by their alleged friends and the alleged friends almost certain to express the joy they feel when meeting the person who has just passed through the brck-kiln of their wrath, spite or whatever it may have been which kndled their anger. But so the world wags; few exempt from indulging in these frills and fobes and after all perhaps little harm is done.
 This species of backbng-any species or kind of backbiting, in fact-is not eevatng ennobing; 1t is the reverse It is we'll to be smooth with friend and polite with enemy, doubt but one can scarcely be either and a backbiting manufactory. It is good rule and, therefore, seldom followed to say to his face that which you think you should and ought to say to any man. It may not be diplomatic, but it will be honest it may smack of unwisdom in the eyes of some, but really it is the essence of wis dom. When you have done this you have done your full duty to be sure and need not be ashamed. The outspoken man will make enemies, but so will the man who s not outspoken. An honest enemy is always to bs preferred to fool friend. You be- ware of the former, but you at the mercy of the latter.
 In newspapers of certain class there often found heroic diatribes against person other, only, however, when the assaed either absent and unable to answer the charges, or, for prudential or other sufficient may not care to do so We have known alleged newspapers to refer in cold type to certain federal ex-oicas thieves and vagabonds of the first water; perhaps in the aforesaid newspapers made mistake, but the point which we wish to make is that strenuous reflections like the above only made after the thief and vagabond" was far enough away. That's one kind of bravery, which smells to heaven of rank cowardice. pub lication that will point out errors by giving them publicity will do good work, for if it not for such publicity official scandalsespecially in Alaska would be much more numerous than they Publicity, especially newspaper publicity is safe guard to good government; without it corruption in official life would be black that which prevailed in Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth turies.
 It may take some moral courage to point out off cial weakness and maladmnstration. especially in remote country but it should not. It should be duty, but only coward would mpale in public print after he had left the country, and retail ation of any kind was improbable. The moral is, applied publicly and privately If you have any thing to say of man. that is if it be to his dscreoit, say it to his face The good that you wish to say of him you may repeat to some else.