Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1910-05-12
THE PLIGHT OF THE LIAR.

WITHIN reOuKeS nm: every yJnlnE
tells him of his cOwardice. Truth
is mans normal state, deception
is a cultivated, abnormal thing.
There is no substitute for the
right. Cunning cannot tnke its
place, nor can education. a per-
son may have great ability and
IL college education, but ii he
does not ring clear, il there is
any evidence Ofrounterieit about
BIN he never GETS OurcOniidence,
our order, our business or our
patronage.
There is always q question
mark in our minds when we have
dealings with IL man who is not
Ue fectly honest. We are not sure
OF him. o. the other hand. a per-
son may lack III eduration, cul-
ture, even refinement, but il he
has an honest heart, ii he rings
true every time, We believe III
him: we trust him.
No man can look honest and
long give the impression OF hon
estv when he is an hubitual
scoundrel. 1t is only IL question
OF time when sometime will hap
pen to tear off his mask and re-
veal the real man.
just look at the man who has
practiced deceit and lying all his
lie. There is not IL line OF truth
in his face His eveey expression
is lalse. He ria Hates dishonesty
from everypore. He emava'leml't It
W tGtplNe Will HIS Hiiioo'b, iloit-
eyed diplomacy, but We instinct
lively ieel that he is a liar ia every
part ct his being.
1t does not mat terhow he tries
TO cover up his rottenness by APP
pearann es of rpspectabilIty, his
Iclothes, his money; he can not
long continue to cheat the heart.
What he SAYS about himself con-
tradicts what we feel.
A perfectly truthful man re-
cards his honor first; his interest
cones later. Truth is every hug
t. him. Justice must be done, no
natter it it goes against his own
interest.
Man is constructed along the
| lines of truth, and he cannot vi
Olate his nature without show
ing it by the loss OF the best
| thing in him Thelia 5 deception
destroys his stli-reslect, and with
1t goes his confidence; and what
can a man accomplish who can
not respect himself or believe in
himself?
This was what made Lincoln
such a giant; he always stood
for truth and justice He believed
what he said, and he knew that
the very structure of the uni
verse was backing him.
lie would never take n case un-
less he believed that his side was
in the right. He knew that the
advocate on the other side wOuld
always be placed at "a dlsadvan-
tage by trying to make Others
believe what he did not believe
himself; that he would be weak
at best, no matter how great an
orator he mig ut be. Lincoln knew
that there was Something back
ing him greater than Oratory,
migh,ier than words. and which
multiplied his natural ability a
thousandfold.
Right speaks with the force OF
law. The world listens when truth
sppaks through a man like Lin
coin, who wa, entrenched in prin
ciple, backed 10y the right. Not
all of the mighty force that made
him a giant among his fellows
WAS generated in his own braiu
! There was a power back OF him
loaned from justice, from right,
which made HIN iavincible; a
power which all men forfeit the
moment they forsake truth, prin-
cipe.
When a man feels that he is
buttresspd 10y the right. entren-
ched in truth, he does not feel
weak although the whole world