The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1904-12-28
CHAPTER ".
sINfpTICITy OF spFFCH,

llui IL ldhNos 40 NhN NAiNN-'' -
~ so the speech. To better ones
life in the way of simplicity one must
set a watch on his lips and his pen.
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 diminshes, confidence is
weakened, society suffers, apprehen-
sion 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 II
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
is 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 tie simplest subject and the
one that most concerns us. Probably
what | have just said would suffice to
show my thought. and each ones eXpe
rience might b: ng TO its support an
ample commentary with illustrations.
But l AM none the less moved to in
sist on this point and TO strengthen my
position with examples.
Formerly the means of communica-
ton between men We're considerably
restricted. 1t was natural to suppose
that in perfecting and multiplying ave
nues of information better under
standing would be brought about. Nq-
tons would learn to love each other rs
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. Fiat luX!' and
with better cause when the habit of
reading ana the taste for newspapers
increased. Why should not men have
reasoned thus: 1.-TWO lights illumine
better than one, and many better than
two. The more periodicals and books
there are the better we shall know
what 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 element, 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, VINO 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 nelghbors and to
study them without reservations, how
many spread defamation and dlstrust!
What unnatural and dangerous cur
rents of opinion set in motion! What
false alarms and malicious interpreta-
lions of words and facts! And in do
nestle affairs we are not much bett,
Informed than in foreign. AS to COM
mercial, industrial aud agricultural in
tsrests, political parties and social
tendencies or the personality of public
To be Continued.