Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-23

OuAGG w e'hGH
Elsewhere in this issue we have referred to
the vigorous language Of PresidentRoosevelt
in vetoing bills to restore bounty jumpers
and others to the rolls of the army. His Ian
quage in refusing elemency to prisoners
confined for various crimes is equally
vigorous" and probably more sincere. A
recent case has attracted some attention by
reason Of the epithet applied to the petit
tioner for mercy. The President in refus-
ing clemency to the applicant who is serv-
ing time for sending an obscene letter
through the mails is to the effect that if he
had the power he would add to rather than
commute the sentence of the scoundrel
Sending an obscene letter through the
mails or even being guilty Of uttering OBJ
scene expressions written or vocal, deserve
punishment as no one but a filthy minded
and morally degraded individual would be
guilty Of such conduct. And yet we must
remember that all men share in common
the animal natures and propensities which
in the obscene wretch prompts or forces
their outward or uncomfortable fnanifesta-
tion in written OF spoken language No
clean man will be guilty of either, but il is
all mems experience that many, very many
individuals do indulge in obscene express
sions who would resent being called
'scoundrels" by even the President of the
United States. We remember a case in
point during the Congressional career of
our late President which illustrates our
meaning party of his friends from Ohio,
among whom the writer was one, were sit
ting up late with Mr. Mckinley in his room
in the Ebbitt House, as Mrs. Mckinley was
suffering from an attack and the Major"
as we then called him, could not or would
not retire until she was completely re-
stored In the party were Judge David f.
Pugh, Of Columbus, ex Congressman. Tay-
lor and druggist Fred Herbst, Of Colu mbus
Herbst's father, Lutheran clergyman, was
al applicant for a consulship, aud the son
was in Washington to further the fathers
ambition The sequel will show how ef
fectively he killed off the old gentleman.
Of course the company of gentlemen ex-
changed stories, and some of the stories
we're of the kind not related in the
presence of ladies' They were not OBJ.
scene nor filthy but few were decidedly OF
the risque order, such as gentlemen will in.
dulge in, prompted, as stated, by those
irrepressible animal promptings or imagi
ings common to all men.
The late President was very we'll known
to all the gentlemen present except Herbst
Hence no broad" or obscene tales were
even thought Of, as we we're we'll aware of
the Majors" disgust at such filth. He
was known to be as refined and sensitive as
cloistered nun in this respect. What then
was our horror when Herbst related tale
Of such shocking Obseepity that all present
were struck dumb with disgust and amaze
meut We shalt never forget the express
sion on the Majors face as he arose In the
middle Of the story and excused his tem-
porary absence to visit Mrs. Mckinley ia
the next room.
The next day while riding with the
Major in a cab to see Mr.. Blaine. the writer
broached the subject Of the consulship for
Mr. Herbst, senior.
'No no! l could not recommend the
father of such a son. What a shockingly
filthy story that man was telling when /
got up last night" aud the Major looked
the distress he felt at the recollection. The
appointment was not made, the Major
spiked" it, and Fred Hrrbst's story did
the business for his father
Coming back to the convict who Is under
going penal servitude for an equal ofense
and President RoOseveIts comments on his
application for pardon, we desire to observe
that the Presidents appellation of "scoun-
drel" was uudigni6ed uucalled-for, and if
deserved applicable, as stated to thousands
of individuals in clubs and out Of them who
consider themselves the peers of the Presi-
dent, and who are his equals in fortune and
social position
II Is true that in prison the official who
4
''scoundrel" to a convi CT would be held to
a violation of prison rules and discipline
and subject to reprimand or dismissal. The
fallen citizen guilty Of crime, and who is
paying the penalty of the same, can be
very properly refused elemency by the
pardoning power but the unfortunate
wretch should not be degraded further by
adding uncalled-for insult TO a refusal of
his petition.
Coming from the Chief Magistrate of the
country the epithet ''scoundrel" ap
piled to a man undergoing penal servitude,
who by virtue Of his petition for ciemency
expresses cOntrition for his crime. is as
gross an outrage on the moral sensibilities
Of humane people as is the prisoners Of
fense against society. The President has
the high privilege of granting or refusing
clemency, but he simply degrades the high
Office he fills when descending to the ex.
pletives Of the coarse and brutal rufians
from whose vocabulary the expression has
been borrowed by Mr.. Roosevelt.
II the President takes exception TO the
Latin motto "hBesf eiemeHfia Ioytfa"
"a brave man is clementl, he should not
permit himself to descend TO the level Of
hurting epithets at the unfortunate prisoner
paying the penalty Of his trausgressiou Of
the MORAL aud the statutory law.