Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-04-13
Public Opinion; ITS Correlation Greet
Sociological Problem.
Address AZ TcHnDlo AIbcE. BY RasbI SfcndcI slIber,

Tho great soiogicai problem Of tho
present II the problem OF correiating
public opinion and progress The in
divlduai as well az the nation fInds Il
extremely dlnlcult 10 make the con-
sentative powers Of custom.j fashion
ana public opinion aubserve tho benz
efficient ends Of progress. The ques-
ton 81 public opinion meets as VI
every turn Custom confronts as
wherever We move. Fashion faces a..
like a hungry Hon, on every road We
travel Popular prejudice that fright
ems as In every field OF experience
Unthinkingly We become slaves TO the
popular stapdarde. We eNaRserate
their importance out OF All proper
iion. We gauge our lives By them.
We submit cur actions 90 the opinions
81 the ignorant nauititudes rather than
20 the criticism 81 the knowing few
The question that Is always before us
n not is Il riEhtg." but what will
people say about No." ana this deapita
our knowledge that custom and FASH
ION and the pOpulace have constantly
condoned oreuses against the law,
human ana divine, aud have thwarted
and opposed the salutary suggestion
OF men whom history later pronounces
great
Are we not all familiar with the
fact that fashion and custom. which
generally decide what people say
about everything, have burned marks
Of infamy upon the foreheads OF the
good and upright Ia every age In
every Iand2 Has not public opinion
in innumoEaDle Instances placed truth
on the scaffold and faiseheod on the
thrones? Has L not closed the doors
OF society against the man Tor whom.
IN later axes monuments have been
erected; has Il not always degraded
those who prompted out a higher law
than prudence and a wiser course
than oxpediencc? Have not the loved
OF God IN All ages been the hatred OF
me07 The Abraham OF every age
was attacked, the Moses Of every land
exlled, les Socrates poisoned, rs CALI
loo Imprisoned. Us Bruno burnt at the
stake.
Yet. despite our knowledge OF an
this We are still actuatod by public
opinion and not BY duty and right
Right now and here IN America. the
greatest country on Gods earth, wo
submit % the same false standard OF
moral judgment. We pretend 10 be-
lieNe ia democracy, but we live IN a
monarchy OF which custom Is king. Il
Ia the boast OF this nation that Il has
dethroned potentates and made man
hood supreme, but we are ruled by
despot whose name ia fashion. We
claim 10 be free, children Of liberty,
unshackiod, uncontrolled Oy anything
else except law. But there arc only
few who have enough courage OF
their conventions not 10 care about
popular opinions. Most OF as are
dominated IN All our living ana think
Ing by the opinion OF others. No
really live FOR others. Not IN tho
sense, however, that We sacrifice our
convenience or our possessions N Be-
half OF others. Wa live for othora in
the sense We constantly fear what
others VIII say OF as and fail 10 i've
la harmony with the higher law and
our truer selves. From this fear
spring the many abnormaiitiea OF
modern life from this fear come the
many Irregularities OF church and
state; from this fear result tho pre-
teneos and shows OF society. How
many homes are ruined. how many
hearts arc wrecked, how many lives
are lost through an extravaganza and
display which We carry on not 40 sat
isfy our own selves. but % satisfy eo-
cioty and public oplnion2
Sooner or latcf i've must learn that
we are traitors a our reason when
lNo normit ourselves 10 be dominated
by an undue regard for fashion GUS
tom and public opinion. Every human