The Breckenridge news., 1905-01-04


ting that he takes them at their word,
the reader finds himself o0igel to draw
this conclusion: UnQuestionably moth
ing but corruption can be found any
longer; no men of integrity except
few journalists. But the last part of
the conclusion falls in its turn. 1t ap.
pears that the chroniclers Gevour each
other The reader has under his eyes
a spectacle somewhat like the cartoon
entitled Tie Combat of the Serpents"
After having gorged themselves wlta
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 It.
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.
A 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 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 seriOusy-a sad state of mind for
those who write or teach, How light
ly must one hold his readers and hear
ers 10 approach them in such an at'I-
tude 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 publ 3D..
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 ii be their distrust when
once they fnd themselves betrayed.
They may follow for a time the e.
ploiters Of their artlessness, but thDh
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 pit.
is 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
ly. We consider as calamity the de
basement Of the currency. the lowering
of interest. the abolition Of credit.
- There is a misfortune greater than
theSe--tle loss Of confidence, of that
moral credit which honest people give
ono another, and which makes speech
circulate like an authentic curreuC'
Away with counterfeitcrs. spectators
rotten fuanciers. for they bring undo
suspicion even the coin Of tie realm.
Away with the makers of counterfe.;
speech. for because Of them there is
no longer confidence in any one or an.
thing and what they say and write
not worth a continental
You see how urgent It is that eac
should guard his lips. chasten his pc:
and aspire 10 simplicity Of speech. y
more pervcrsion Of sense. crcumlocu
tion. reticence tergiversation! Thes,
things serve only to complicate and be-
wilder. BE men. Speak the speech Of
honor. IN hour of plain dealing does
more for the salvation Of the world
than years Of duplicity.
\ word now about national bias To
those who have veneration for die
tiOn and style Assuredly there can
be no quarrel with the taste for grace
and elegance Of speech. | ann of opin-
ion that one cannot say too well what
be has to say. But it does not follow
that the things best said and best writ
ten are most studied. Words shoul
serve the fact and not substitute them
selves for 1t and make 1t forgotten in
its establishment The greatest things
are those which gain the most by le
ing said most simply, since thus they
show themselves for what they are
You do not throw over them the vel.
however transparent. of beautiful dis
course, nor that shadow so fatal 10
truth called the writer's vanity. Moth.
Ing so strong nothing so persuasive. as
simplicity! There are sacred emotions,
cruel griefs. splendid heroisms, pas
sionate enthusiasms, that look,
movement. a cry. interprets better than
beautifully rounded periods. The most
precious possessions of the heart OF
humanity manifest themselves most
simply 10 be convincing thing must
be true, and certain truths are more
evident when they come In the speech
of ingenuOusness, even weakness than
when they fall from lips too well train
ed or are DrOclaimpl with trumnefa