Mexico Missouri message., 1905-02-09
CHAPTER ".


the mind. the first visible form
that Il takes. As the thought,
~ 50 the speech. To better ones
life In the way of simplicity one must
set watch on his lips ana his pen.
Let the word he as genuine US the
thought, us artle>s, as valid. Think
justly speak frankly.
All social relations have their roots
in mutual trust, and this trust Is main
tanned 10y each mans sincerity. Once
sincerity dlminishes, confidence IS
weakened, society suffers, apprehen-
sion Is born This is true in the prov
incc Of both natural and spiritual inter
Csts. 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
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, 50
.
have no end Of trouble to inform our
selves on the simplest subject and the
one that most concerns us. Probably
what / have just said would suffice to
show my thought, and each ones eXpe-
rien.c might bring 10 its support an
ample commentary with illustrations.
But l am none the less moved to In.
si5k sn this point and TO strengthen my
| position with examples.
Formerly the means of cOmmunica,
! ton between men Were considerably
restricted. Il was natural to suppose
| that in pprfccting and multiplying ave
/ nucs of information 4 better under
{ standing would be brought about. Ma
| tons 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 luX!' ant
with better cause when tile habit o
reading ana the taste for newspapers
increased. Why should not men have
reasoned thus: 1.-TWO lights illumin,
better than one, and many better thai
two. The more periodicals and book
there are the better we shall know
what happens, and those who wish 4
write history after us will be RICH
fortunate. Their hands will he full
of documents" Nothing could hay,
seemed more evident
Alas, this reasoning was based upol
the nature and capacity Of tile instru
ments without taking into account TN
human element, always the most i'm
pOrtant factor! And what has real,
come about Is this-that caYlers, ca
lumniatOrS and crooks, all gentlemen
glib of tongue, who know better thai
any one else how TO turn voice and PEI
to account, have taken the utmost ad
vantage OF these extended means 70
circulating thought, with the result
that the men of our times have th
greatest difficulty in the world TO know
the truth about their own age ana thci
own affairs. For every newspaper tina
fosters good feeling and good undel
| pAAAAhllAS lINANNNAA AAtltlblin w ~ AAlA I
rightly inform its nciglbors and /
study them without reservations, hoy
many spread defamation ana distrust
What unnatural and dangerous Gun
rents of opinion set in motion! Wha
false alarms and malicious interpretC
lions Of words and facts! And in do
nestle affairs we are not much bette
informed than in foreign. AS to con
merclal, Industrial and agricultural ii
terests, political parties and socil
tendencies e. the personality Of publ
men, it is Sie difficult to obtain a dl'
interested opinion. The more newsp;
pers one reads the less clearly he sec
in these matters. There are days whe
after having read them all, and ndmi
ting that he takes them at their worl
the reader finds himself obliged to dra'
this conclusion; UnQuestionably nOtl
ing Int corruption can be found an
longer; no men Of integrity except
few journalists. But the last part ,
the conclusion falls in its turn. II N
pears that the chroniclers devour eac
! other. The reader has under his ey,
a spectacle somewhat like the cnrtOO