Show We mi might ht even even venture an opi opinion ion t though Ugh even here dualism may ent enter r and declare that we e too are taking sides Distorted judgment on any question must evidently be due either to a a. a lack of j jb ability b to to examine x impartially or to toan toan toan an an insufficient knowledge of ot the facts bearing on the question to be con consid consid- sidI sid sid- I ered ered It seems to us that with these thes observations in mind and a key to detecting detecting detecting de de- their presence or absence in the person to be persuaded advocates advocates' advocates of of f conflicting theories es too often attempt to invalidate either or both of these essential essential essential essen essen- elements The question too often tacitly asked is not U What is true true but ut II What would I have it be And so persuasion becomes U How shall I l lead ad rn men n to t think in as I wo would ld have hae them think rather t than an uW What at must men inevitably see with impartial facts before J I Ithem them i j J J Conviction is IS sought t through rough person personal l interest interest t Local patriotism i is emphasized emph emphasized sized in natio national al issues Authority is quoted lu ted as if if truth were in the keeping 1 lb of r infallible mortals Much of the boasted appeal to reason is but a call upon passion to engender pr prejudice judice in An Eastern U statesman seeks to in int intensify in- in t a local focal patriotism by speaking g of ofa a crude and uncultured West while a Western yest I- I politician speaks aks of loyalty to the the theW West est rather than to the nation A Ar r citizen iti en proud of his prejudice rejects the silver fi ticket ficket ket because it itis is not supported supported sup sup- r ported d. d by the thee thet par party y of his father J W e su such h reasoning reasoning-is is not altogether typical al that h pr prejudice iud se governs much of the conduct of men wherever I two or more issues are at variance is too evident evi- evi dent pt to need need support C Cicero cero sai said l Men believe as they will believe Y With With newer ewer implications ns in the word rd we rn might ight oftener say not I believe but butI I I l' l have i a prejudice r But Brit it does s not 1 q the iL i 3 conceit conceit that clines Se declines declInes to Jo to admit admit to itself t. t r 0 7 1 t J j J CJ 1 t pits terrors errors its errors fail lai tl f to t- t tee see ee that that its b bri bridge ip t of Hf i JM J h j I f false ls timbe timber will give w way y under its own pr pressure Does s not th the practical man of facts who with bias speaks of J j theorists overlook the fact fac that all his practice is the result result of ot his hi t theory that theories are essential in all all study and nd that in his denial of thir ir function he is stating a theory Does Does' not the prejudice of the enthusiastic student that confounds h his s th theory ory with absolute truth again betray ignorance as its antecedent antecedent antecedent ante ante- An And il in the abs absence q e of prejudice prejudice it- it dice may maYr not all theories be considered be-considered considered e as expressing the the hold holders holder's r. r highest thou thought ht Indeed if Hit it i is o our r Fl theory that nak nakedness nakedness naked naked- ness in winter is conducive to health health or or that hunger promotes a pleasant temper tempe and we bel believe eve so o obe be because a s it seems true to our simple reason eason or lack ack of reason why with yit anger n er call u us fanatical Are we not miserable enough in the abs absence n e of the enjoyment that comes from harmony with nature And does not your prejudice prejudice prejudice dice like our folly express a lack of penetration since you fail to see that we am an ar an object of pity rather than of blame A A philosopher said There is no possibility possibility pos pos- of its being for the permanent interest of any man that he should establish establish establish es es- himself I in a falsehood And though he build him a house as as wide as th the earth and as high as the heavens if its foundation Js is on the sand the floods of oJ the eternal forces will some time un undermine undermine un- un m- m dermine it and sweep sweep it away So since there is no real advantage in prejudice it is ne necessarily the child of ignorance To the student stude t who is i's s seeking seeking seek seek- i king k- k ing after truth its method is t and has become monotonous It deals with simple and superficial relations and pr prevents presents vents the mind from descending into the depths and calmness essential to a abroad abroad broad road conception of a vital truth It f. f fails qs to tose see that truth may be eon on either Cither i er side and often lies u between j ir Y the he t two exu ex- ex xH x- x H TI I I Its nocturnal 9 eyes s have hate I been een t trained to tose see to see best In in the dark ik wh where re to o survive it must oft often n spy out out that which never had an an existence or kne knead d dit's its it's text into whatever shape best suits an an im immediate interest Prejudice is dogma dogmatic tic in in- in its attitude and draws draws' its conclusions from insufficient insufficient data It is averse is-averse averse to the b better and more scientific spirit of of the age which stands by her evid evidence nce regardless of her of her preconceptions and notwithstanding ing her gigantic discoveries veries hum humbly bl ad admits admits mits fuits' that her safest conclusions si ns' ns are but ut expressions ioris' ioris of the highest probability bil ty And nd so we plead for a higher highe tone in in parts of the field of dt discussion And while hile we pity pr prejudice prejudice poor jud poor ce-poor poor blind and halt halt we we would rather ather say say the palmy days of invective have have passed And And w we believe that truth w will l win in her battles r r rather ther in spite than because df its its' ts a as s s' sisi ce r J I 1 3 1 J t I L f |