Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-12-22
CHAPTER ".
AA@AA Il A1As -
SIMPLICITY OF SPEECH

Let the word be as genuine as the
thought as artless, as valid. Think
Justly, speak frankly.
All social relations have their roots
in mutual trust, and this trust Is main
tanned by each mans sincerity. Once
sincerity diminishes, confidence Is
weakened, society suffers, apprehen-
aion Is born This is true in the prov
ince of both natural and spiritual inter-
ests With people whom we distrust
it IS as difficult to do business as to
search for scientific truth. arrive at
religious harmony or attain to justice.
When one must first question words
and intentions and start from the pre-
mise that everything said and written
IL meant to offer us Illusion In place Of
truth, life becomes strangely complicat-
ed. This is the case today. There is
so much craft, so much diplomacy so
much subtle legerdemain, that we all
have no end Of trouble to inform our
selves on the simplest subject and the
one that most concerns us. Probably
what I have just said would suffice to
show my thought. and each ones expe-
fience might bring TO IT'S support ar
ample commentary with illustrations
But 1 am none the less moved to in
sist on this point and to strengthen my
position with examples.
Formerly the means OF eommunica-
ton between men were considerably
restricted, 1t was natural to suppose
that In perfecting and multiplying ave-
nues of information better under
standing would be brought about. Ma
tions would learn to love each other as
they became acquainted; citizens OF
one country would feel themselves
bound in closer brotherhood as more
light was thrown on what concerned
their common life. When printing was
Invented the cry arose, Flat luxw and
with better cause when the habit of
reading and the taste for newspapers
increased. Why should not men have
reasoned thus; 1--WE Mghts illumine
better than enc, and many ba'A -. than
two. Fhe mere par'-@ -
.4.e'V me better we shall know
nat happens, and those who wish to
write history after us will be right
fortunate. Their hands will be full
of documents Nothing could have
seemed more evident.
Alas. this reasoning was based upon
the nature and capacity of the instru-
ments without taking into account the
human clement, always the most I'M
portant factor, And what has really
come about is this-that cavilers, ca
lumniators and crooks, all gentlemen
glib of tongue, who know better than
any one else how to turn voice and pen
to account, have taken the utmost adj
vantage of these extended means for
circulating thought, with the result
that the men of our times have the
greatest difficulty in the world to know
the truth about their own age and their
own affairs. For every newspaper that
fosters good feeling and good under
standing between nations by trying to
rightly inform its neighbors and to
study them without reservations, how
many spread defamation and distrust!
What unnatural and dangerous cur
rents of opinion set in motion, What
tions of words and factsi And in do
mestic affairs we are not much better
informed than in foreign. AS to CON-
mercial, industrial and agricultural in
terests, political parties and social
tendencies or the personality Of public
men, it is alike difficult to obtain dis
interested opinion. The more newspa-
dc a cIn
in these matters. There are days when
after having read them all, and admit
ting that he takes them at their word,
the reader finds himself obliged to draw
this conclusion: Unquestionably moth
ing but corruption can be found any
longer; no men of integrity except a
few journalists. But the last part of
the conclusion falls in its turn. 1t ap-
pears that the chroniclers devour each
other. The reader has under his eyes
n spectacle somewhat like the cartoon
entitled 1.-The Combat of the Serpents." F"
After having gorged themselves with
everything around them the reptiles
fall upon each other, and there remain
upon the field of battle two tails.
And not the common people alone
feel this embarrassment, but the culti-
waited also; almost everybody shares 1t.
In politics, finance, business, even in
science, art, literature and religion,
there is everywhere disguise, trickery,
wire pulling-one truth for the public,
another for the initiated. The result is
that everybody is deceived. 1t Is vain
to be behind the scenes on one stage.
4 man cannot be there on them all.
and the very people who deceive others
with the most ability are in turn de-
ceived when they need to count upon
the sincerity Of their neighbors.
The result of such practices is the
degradation of human speech. 1t is de-
graded first in the eyes of those who
manipulate it as a base instrument.
No word is respected by sophists,
casuists and quibblers, men who are
moved only by rage for gaining their
point or who assume that their inter
ests are alone worth considering.
Their penalty is to be forced to judge
others by the rule they follow them
selves-say what profits and not what
is true They can no longer take any
one seriously-a sad state of mind for
those who write or teach! How light
ly must one hold his readers and hear
ers to approach them in, such an atti-
tudel To him who has preserved
enough honesty nothing is more repug-
nant than the careless irony of an ac-
robat OF the tongue or pen who tries
to dupe honest and ingenious men.
On one side openness, sincerity, the
desire to be enlightened; on the other,
chicanery making game of the public!
But he knows not, the liar, how far
he is misleading himself. The capital
ON which he lives is confidence, and
nothing equals the confidence of the
people unless it be their distrust when
once they find themselves betrayed.
They may follow for a time the ex-
ploiters Of their artlessness. but then
their friendly humor turns to hate.
Doors which stood wide open offer an
impossible front Of wood, and ears
once attentive are deaf. And the pity
d that they have closed not to the
evil alone, but to the good. This is the
crime of those who distort and degrade
speech: they shake confidence general