The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-09-15
Slandering the Race.

OAcSAACAAuSS OAC 1GC1COe
In spite of the actions Of a few de-
generates and perverts and in spite
of certain widely accepted ISLANDERS on
human nature there is more honesty
than dishonesty in the world, more
truth than falsehood, more purity than
impurity, more love than hatred.
II the majority of men were not in
herently honest, at least according to
the accepted standard, business could
not exist for moment, for the whole
commercial fabric is founded on mutual
confidence, on mems faith in each other.
Take this example: In many large
cities are restaurants where customers
are allowed to go to a counter and
take what they want, then to go to the
desk and pay for what they take, the
management depending on the individ-
ual honor of the customer OF course
there is a system of checking, but this
the customer is not supposed to know.
Yet there are scarcely any cases where
a smaller amount is rendered at the
desk than is due Again, there is the
instance of the crowded street cars. In
very many cases it is impossible for
the conductor to keep track Of all who
have paid or have not paid. Especial
" is this the case on the open summer
cars. It is necessary to depend some
what on the honor of the passengers,
yet this confidence is seldom abused.
Here is another case in point: There
is common belief that almost all
theatrical people are immoral. Jo-
seph Jefferson was once asked in pub
lie why there were no virtuous women
on the stage. Those who saw the look
Of anger that darkened the amiable
comedians face will never forget it.
The truth is that many of our most
distinguished theatrical families have
been Of the highest character.
The vast majority of men and women
are naturally good and mean to do the
right thing. Industrial and other con-
d1tions may drive them from their nat
ural tendencies, and to these conditions
Is due most of the wrong in the world.
There are few moral degenerates and
perverts, and these, because of their
very abnormality, are the more con-
spicuous. But where one of such
comes to our notice we should not
forget that there are twenty who are
leading clean and wholesome lives.
The very fact that these twenty are so
much like other folks that they attract
no attention proves goodness to be the
rule and moral obliquity the exception.
1t was popular conception until re-
Gently that Daniel Webster was rather
lax in his private life, yet Edward
Everett Hale, whose father knew Web
ster well, proved a few years ago that
practically all the stories on which that
belief was founded were untrue.
Doubtless similar impressions of many
OCAAOA Conspicuous ulGu Ill 'lll0 DdSI
would be found to be based on like
SANDER if investigation were made.
Whatever else we are, let us be char
liable, let us have faith one in another.
and let us never believe a story of an
others dishonor until it is proved be-
yond reasonable doubt. Above all, let
us not credit the wholesale libels on
human nature, for most of them pro-
coed from very small foundations, or
are creations out Of whole cloth made
by few perverts. Human nature, on
the whole, is healthy, sweet and good,
and is growing better. Any other view
is out of harmony with evolution, with
progress and with the observed tend
ency Of history.