Article February 19, 1910 Issue

SPEECH AND SILENCE

HON. CLARENCE A. BUSKIRK.

The faculty of speech has ever been considered one of the chief distinguishing characteristics of the human race. It is true that it is claimed that a few animals possess the ability to communicate somewhat to their fellowcreatures, but they have nothing like the human articulate speech, and the few sounds which they are able to make, to say the most we can for them, are very restricted in their scope and power of expression. It is inferable that, because of its superiority as a faculty, human speech is intended for noble uses and capable of such uses, and it has been put to such noble use in many ways and in innumerable instances.

During many centuries before the art of writing was invented, speech preserved the traditions and legends which afterward made written and printed history. It thus preserved, likewise, mainly in poetical compositions which were handed down form one generation to another through the wonderful memories of the bards, the religious beliefs and hopes, the emotions and passions, the social, tribal, and national environment and conditions of many primitive peoples, which otherwise would have been utterly forgotten and lost. During innumerable ages, the faculty of speech has been put to the noble uses of inculcating higher standards of conduct, of communicating useful knowledge, of conveying words of affection, of sympathy, of encouragement, of help in numerous ways. It has often assumed the heaven-seeking wings of hymn and ode and psalm.

Such are a few of the noble uses of speech; but it appears to have always been put, as it is now, to opposite uses which have worked immeasurable harm to mankind. These evil employments of human speech are too obvious to need description. They have assisted in making humankind in too many instances more ignoble than the brutes. It is clear, therefore, that it is every person's unescapable duty to watch his speech with the utmost vigilance, in that it is a priceless possession, and yet a constant source of peril. The recognition of this fact has led to many wise and useful counselings. Such counselings are to be found throughout all good literature, and they properly hold a conspicuous place in current magazines and newspapers. All good people encourage them in the home-circle and in all public and private speech.

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