Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-08-24
DISCRETION
A WINNER

| she that the very street Arabs whls-
pered in awe tones to one another as
she passed There goes the board of
education.
It was my fortune at one time, TO
hear her Ga woman Of rare justness
and good sense, II Of dreaded austerity
Of mahner) address an assembly of
teachers. Her theme was discretion.
and her words were direct and TO the
point.
Remember that the street car is
not the proper forum for the discussion
of school questions. It is not the
proper place to discuss, for instance,
the supervisou's wig"
A pin falling in that room at that
moment would have been heard. The
breath of the educators was suspended
as she went on:
"The state demands Jf the teacher
discretion almost as much as educa-
tion.- commend it to you as a safe
guard, and as a mark Of efficiency.
have seen many models Of this virtue
and few striking instances Of its
lack. 4"
Teachers often Lack Tact.
Prattiing about the failures and de-
fciencies Of his pupils is the vice Of
a school teacher. Al the dinner table
Of certain college number Of the
faculty and students met daily during
the summer quarter. The fact was
noted that there was but one professor
in the whole lot who did not prate
Of absent students clubbing this one
downright liar" and that one ga
sluggard." Nevertheless, when the
trustees Of the college met TO elect a
new president, IL was noted that one
of these talkative men, however bril-
liant was named for the presidency,
but man Of unimpeachable discretion
and Of marked judgment was chosen.
Making the street car the stage OF
; indiscreet conversation has marked the
b downfall Of more than one public ser
! want who has rccklessly betrayed the
; dignity Of his office.
4 Less than year ago an officer OF
- the state department was chance
e listener to the following dialogue be
9 tween two young men ON street eal
e in Washington;
"wish me luck, I'm of for tho stat
department to make an examination
for 81 900 eonsularship."
" "Pretty sure you'll pass then, ehP
y "I should say so. Both the senator
and half the representatives from m.
20 state are backing mei aud guess
would be pretty hard not to pass unde
SC the circumstances. The exam. is onl
:" bluff. "
Public Conversation Fatal.
Uncle Sam did not send this ehatte
"a. box TO any government abroad, Il
.er across this candidates appplieatio
Ia blank was written "Not sufficient
disereet--too liable to discuss priva
i'm affairs publicly"
Thus the influences of senators an
representatives Was not sufficiently p
tent TO foat one so eonspieuously lac
=" Ing in common sense as TO talk on d
street ears,
ney Quite recently the German ambass
md dor, Baron speek Won Sternberg' sa
in reply 20 an inconsidorate int
viewer
"It Is an excellent rule Of condu
10 for an ambassador 10 avoid talki
any about the affairs of other nations. I
iek- LEES he talks about those Of his O.
ant the he,tes his supericrs like Il, exec
leu Of course, when IL is a ease of core
ing false impression or Of explaini
. matter ON which his ruler desi
the people OF that eountry 20 be
Heightened. =
The incumbents OF any public p
the employees Of any corporation,
~ servants Of any household in WI
sex ever capacity employed, should lay
IN, to heart that any uuseemly talkati
on, ness in public works passing iniusi
inst to the dignity Of labor as whole
permanent injury 70 the chatter
and concerned.
ass Any position Of however small
10 a portanee taeiiy demands certain =
cenee. certain loyalty TO the q
given, In the highest positions
erection can not be verbally asked
cunt a. the asking itself would imply
,llar want; aud, In truth, many matters
line. too subtle, too reaued, 20 bear
rate bringing into question. A man to
,am. Ia AigA place Of trust must hav
cutiously delicate quality Of inbOFn
cretioa. Like a woman = provsFbial
tnition A must he ready % sprina