THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



153 



of one eye, however, to observe the effect. 

 Ill hke iiianuer, it is iiii]iossible to resist 

 the ooiichisioii tliat some are fully aware 

 of the telling effects of sulkiness as a wea- 

 l)oii — such cries of "Abuse! Vitu})era- 

 tion !" and "Unkind I Unwarranted !" 

 rend the air. What an example this is ! 

 ( )f course tlisputants now enter the arena 

 with nerves in a state of ten.sion. and 

 that verv condition tends to bring about 

 attacks and parryings, thrusts and coun- 

 ter-thrusts, which have no connection 

 with the main trial of strength, to which 

 we may liken the investigation of truth; 

 and, worse yet, like vSomnambulist on 

 page 234 of tlie Progressive, many refuse 

 to enter at all, and so the truth languishes 

 for a champion. 



Vet men do not usually act so. In a 

 convention, verbal pokings of the ribs are 

 understood, and taken at their true values, 

 as stimulants to the pursuit of truth; and 

 when at rare intervals anything serious 

 does occur, everyone understands it is al)- 

 normal, due to causes outside of ordinary 

 discussion, and the latter is resumed with- 

 out apprehension. 



Fashion is to blame, and they who set 

 it have much to answer for. It is a bad 

 sign, even, when one sto])s to carefully 

 explain that he is thrusting at ideas, not 

 flesh and blood, for that creates the sus- 

 picion that the latter may be something 

 to expect. Example is wanted, not pre- 

 cept. Let us continue to be free and 

 frank in comment and criticism, but not 

 talk about it too much, and keep on 

 thrusting at false ideas, until this bad 

 fashion dies out for want of imitation, 

 which is its food. 



Hut, of course, there are things said, 

 once in a great while, that ought not to 

 have l)een said; for exam]>le, such lan- 

 guage as this: " After doing this, they 

 have dared to lift up in holy horror their 

 black, foul hands, hands covered with the 

 blasted hopes of bee-keepers, the groans 

 of the oppressed, the cries of the orphans, 

 and the tears of the widow," etc., refer- 

 ring to an honest difTerence of opinion, 

 and an exaggeration (but nothing worse) 

 tan the j)art of only one writer, not sever- 

 al, for the others did noi hint at what 

 they are charged with; — and this: "So- 

 and-so had the gall to hint" etc., refer- 

 ring to another honest difference of oi)in- 

 ion. These are discfiurlesies, to be sure, 

 but, like the rare scenes in conventions, 

 it would not be connnom sense to take 

 these evidently exceptional and extraor- 

 flinary expressions as imlicating what 

 niu.st be, and is, the ordinary flow of <lis- 

 cussion among rational beings. 



Perhaps the chief consideration should 

 be not so nuich "Is it kind?" as "Is it 

 true?" provided, of course, it is worth 

 mentioning. After all, truth is our main 

 aim. If we faithluUy try to subordinate 

 ever3-thing to truth, we can not but rate it 

 higher than discourtes}' or retaliation; 

 but if we esteem anything higher than 

 the truth, even though it be kindness and 

 courtesy, there isdanger that having com- 

 mitted the sin of untruthfulness, we may 

 find it easier to commit the sin of injus- 

 tice. Truths worth mentioning can not 

 but be just in the end. 



I recently received a letter complaining 

 that I had "assailed" a position of the 

 writer. The mere utterance of the word 

 "assail" seemed to be enough in his 

 judgment, to condemn the action — a fine 

 illustration of the illogical sulkiness, 

 sometimes paraded as offended dignity. 

 If I had "assailed" by evading argu- 

 ments, by hunting up irrelevant counter 

 charges, by making untruthful innuen- 

 does and assertions without proof, and 

 b}' one-sidedness generally, then, indeed, 

 the "assault" would be very wrong. But 

 having done none of these things, as 

 my antagonists admit by not furnishing 

 the proofs, but having "assailed" with 

 experience, facts, and arguments, I pro- 

 pose to calnil}' keep on (loing the same 

 thing, and shall thank others to do the 

 same by me; for 



"Truth only is living. 



Truth only is whole. 



And the love of his giving 



Man's polestar and pole." — Swinburne. 



I agree with my friend Thompson that 

 justice ought to be placed above all things. 

 I also admit that one can be kind in man- 

 ner, tone and language, and yet be un- 

 just. I recall one or two itistances in 

 bee journalism where injustice was clad 

 in robes most soft and creamy — the lan- 

 guage was irreproachable; almost adu- 

 latory. On the other hand, brusqueness, 

 unkindness and discourtesy are wholly 

 unnecessary accompaniments of justice. 

 One can be just, yet kind. Let us not 

 forget that the stating of facts, the giving 

 of reasons, the putting forth of argu- 

 ments never arouse the resentment of an 

 opponent, nor cause him any pain. Per- 

 sonality, sarcasm and insinuation are the 

 despicable weapons used only when the 

 la.st arrow of truth has l)een drawn from 

 the (juiver. 



