The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-20
CHAPTER ~.
,rHE SIMPLE WORD.

The thought so is the speech. To
reform ones life in the sense OF
sin,plicity one must watch over word
md pen. Let the word be simple,
like the thought. aud that it may be
sincere. and that II may pc
sure, think Justly: speak frankly.
Social relations have for their base
mutual confidence, and this conf
dence is nourished by the sincerity
Il of each. AS soon as sincerity
dimin;shns. confidence changes, atfins
tiles suffer. and Insecurity is born.
This is true both in the domain OF
material and spiritual interests. Win
people whom we must ceaselessiy a us
trust 1t is as difficult to carry on COM
merce and industry as TO seek a seen
tiflc truth or pursue a religious un -
derstanc,ing or TO realize justice.
When each one is obliged to control
words and intentions, and depart
from the principle that all that is
written and said has for aim TO serve
yonr illusion in place of truth, lie
becomes strangely complicated. 1t is
"a for all of us. Tbere are too many
malignant ones, diplomats who play
nm underhand game and apply them
selves to deceive each other. and that
q why each one takes SO much pains
~ inform himself on the things the
most simple, and yet which are OF
y the greatest import to hlmsel1.
probably what have Just said Will
suffice TO indicate my thought ana
the eYperience Of each one can bring
4 forth an ample commentary with IL
lnstrations to support 1t. But, | am
10 1ass anxious to insist on this point,
+ and to surround myself with exam 'i
pies. an !. -
In other times men had but emall n "a,
Il irauffi rient means Of communication ne
weenf them. 1t was leg!timate&to sup
1nxe that in perfectng and III multiply
4. inpq the means Of information they woulo
= add TO the light. Nations learned 70 io'e
Is each other in knowing each DINER ne, ,.
Ter ths citizens Of the same country ie en-
themselves bound by closer ptoHhei
hood were better enlightened Oh on
Z 4 hings 1otiching their common lie. " he'.
,,r,ntad. r.nrks !. we're created they cried.
4 L,nt ll,.. and with greater reason s!et
,stan the ,iabit#of reading and the taste
fors newspapers spread. Why uin Inc!
8i3,,nt reason thus: two lights give more
light than one. and several more ! q ~
two2 The more newsp ana ho Door.
y there arc the better one Will know "till
8 IL passnE, ard those who wouio Wilte
+ btstory TIER us will be fbrtunate---theE
viii hive their hands fun OF documents.
Nothing seemed more evident. -Aias'
x tbay based their reasoning on the tools
and calculated without the human eie-
4 rneTlt which Is everywhere the most an
! por.ant factor. So it happened that th me
scpnfsis. the CRAFTY, the calnmhiatots,
All The men with the looseiy-hung tongues
: Ia, n
8 fuegle with words and pen prottted largely
III MI these means OF multiplying ana
sureati,1g thought What Is the result.
81 That our con temporaTies have all the dilil-
tu!;ies I'll the world 10 know me truth
about their own personal aTalrs ana
their own times. For the few lieW!s-
papers that cultivate International good
feeling. BIZ trying 10 teach their neigh
bors elu!tabIy and TO study them with
out hidden thoughts. how many there are
that SOW d!strust and calumry. How
many fictitious and unhealthy currents
are created in public opinion, With false
stories, mnlevolent Interpretations OF
facts or words! We hre not much better
instructed on our internal affairs than
on foreign countries; nor on the interests
of commerce. industry or agriculture. nor
on the political parties. nor the social
tendencies, nor of persons occupied in
public affairs. Is II easy to obtain dis
i Interested information. The more one
reads the newspapers the less clearly one
3 secs. There are days when after having
read them and admitting that one believes
their word, the reader will see himself
obliged to draw his conclusion, De
cided!y there are none but furnished men
everywhere" 1>hel~A are 10 men OF in
tegTity hut the .throniclers. But that
last part OF the conclusion Will fall in
: dts turn. The chronIclers, In fact, eat
each other. The reader would have be-
fore his eyes n spectacle analogous 10
that represented in the caricature called
the combat OF the serpens. After bav-
ing devoured everything around them the
two reptiles attack each other and begin
to swallow each other so that there re-
main on the battlefield but two tails.
And. it is not the man OF the people
alone VINO is thus embarrassed there
arc The cultivated people, there are al
most everybody. In politics, in finance,
In business even In science. the arts
literature and religion, there Is every
where underhand york, plots ard wire
pulling. There Is one trutl. for cxpor-
tation and another for the Initiated 1t
follows that all are deceived FOR though
one may be OF one kitchen he Is never
of them all, and the very ones who de-
ceiye others with the greatest address
are deceived in their turn, when they have
Ifl Ilctd ~ COUNT upon the sincerity OF an
other.
I'D The result Of this kind Of practice IS
The degradation OF human speech. II Is
H degraded first in the eyes OF those who
use II as a vile instrument There II no
speech respected for the debaters, the
fault-tlnders, the sophists. and al! those
who are animated but by The rage Of
appearing 10 be III the right, or tho
n pretention that their Interests alone are
~ respectable. Their chastisement is to be
obliged 70 judge others ny The rule they
follow themselves which la; 10 say that
wh!s!, profits and not that witch i8 true.
53 They can no longer luke any one SER
N-~inusly. 4 sad state ar mind for such
as write, SPEAK and teach How they
must desplse their heartrs and thcir
READERS 70 80 before Them IN such a state
OF mind! For one who has kept a
Foundation Of honesty nothing ig more
reyor!ng than the IRONY fallen from one
4 Of these acrpbats ot he pcn. or M
speech, who tries 10 ada hi thc ptIi1ihnr
Il q f.w more good hui loo canGdlas uco.
ISL PIE, On one hard regBnaton. sInGerjtg.
The desire for enlightenment and on tGe
other The profI.acy thai taaeks. tb,. MN
lie Bnt he dosa not knnw, lne naf.
w how far he deceipes himself T6e c6r,ita1
,,t5,s 49,.