Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-12-21

The Value of
TRUTH
By Count LEO roLsroI......

@TE all complain of the senseless order of life which is at
variance with our being, and yet we refuse to use the
unique and powerful weapon WITHIN OUR HANDS
wv the consciousness of truth and its expression; but,
on the contrary, under the pretext of struggling with
evil, we destroy the weapon and sacrifice it to the exigencies of an
IMAGINARY conflict.
One man does not assert the truth which he knows because he
feels himself bound to the people with whom he is engaged; another,
because the truth might deprive him of the profitable position by
which he maintains his family; a third, because he desires to attain
reputation and authority and then use them in the service of mankind
a fourth, because he does not wish to destroy old sacred traditions; a.
fifth, because he has no desire to offend people; a sixth, because the
expression of truth would AROUSE PERSECUTION and disturb
the excellent social activity to which he has devoted himself.
One serves as emperor, king, government official or soldier and
assures himself and others that the deviation from truth indispensable
to his condition is redeemed by the GOOD HE. DOES. Another
in the office of a spiritual pastor does not in the depth of his soul be-
leve all he teaches, but permits the deviation from truth in view of
the good he does. A third instructs men by mean of literature and,
Notwithstanding the silence he must preserve with regard to the
whole truth in order not to stir up the government and society against
himself, has no doubt as to the good HE does. A fourth struggles
resolutely with the existing order IS revolutionist or anarchist and is
quite assured that the aims he pursues are SO beneficial that the neglect
of the truth OF even of the falsehood, BY SILENCE, indispensable
to the success of his activity, does not destroy the utility of his work.
In order that the conditions of a life contrary to the consciousness
of humanity should change and be replaced by one which is in accord
with it, the outworn public opinion should yield its place to the new
living one, but this will only happen when all who are conscious of the
new requirements of existence should OPENLY EXPRESS THEM
And yet all those who are conscious of these new requirements, one in
the name of one thing, another in the name of another, not only pass
them over in silence, but both by word and deed attest their exact
opposites.
Only the truth AND ITS EXPRESSION can establish that
new public opinion which will reform the ancient, obsolete and perni
cious order of life, and yet we not only do not express the truth we
know, but often even distinctly give expression to what we ourselves
regard as false.
If only men were boldly and clearly to express the truth already
manifest to them of the brotherhood of all nations and the crime of
exclusive devotion to ones own people, that defunct false public
opinion would slough off of itself like a dried skin and THE NEW
PUBLIC OPINION would stand forth, which is even now but
awaiting that dropping off of the old.
1T WOULD THEN PUT FORTH MANlFEsTLY AND POWER,
FULLY ITS DEMANDS AND ESTABLISH NEW FORMS OF Ex.I
IsTENcE IN CONFORMITY WITH THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MAN.
KIND.