The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-03-04
CONFIDENCE MEN.

NOW that the episode which occur
red in the United States Senate a few
days ago between Senator's Tillman
Z and McLaurin, for which they were
adiudged in contempt 10y the Senate,
has been finally closed, we believe it
TO be the duty OF the press Of the
Country to cease their comments
and hope for better days among our
National lawmakers We do. how
ever, take occasion to call attention
TO one feature of that incident. to
wit: The seriousness of assailing
the character of a man, in speaking
to a friend, and then telling that
friend that you speak in strict con
fidence
If a fellow-man is guilty of a crime
and you know it, it is your duty as
"A good citizen to make that TACT
known and thus uphold the law;but it
is poor policy to whisper in the ear
OF another, telling him OF the terrible
wrong which has been committed 10y
your fellow-man and then pledge
your listener TO absolute secrecy as
to who his informant was. In other
words if one accuses another OF a
crime and then isnot man enough to
father his charges, he is nothing
more or less than a confidence
man" and is as unworthy OF being
trusted as the man who offers gold
bricks at S1.00 a piece He is Il
slanderer and exceedingly dangerous
to the body polite. And, indeed, he
is coward and should be at all
times exposed to the condemnation
of honest men.
1t will be remembered that Senator
Tillman made a serious charge the
other day and when called upon to
substantiate it, said that the infor-
nation which he had received was
conveyed TO him in confidence and
that he could not disclose the
name of his informant. Had
hSbeen a prudent man he would not
have mentioned the matter at all,
because he kneW-that he was pledged
TO secrecy and could net d .sCgetne
name of the author OF the charges.
That being the case it was his duty
to say TO his informant that he
would not countenance the charges
unless he could use the name OF the
author in connection Herewith
Then he would have had a good
foundation upon which to stand, for
there is no foundation as strong and
safe as fact and the man who Is sure
of his facts and who has the proof in
hand may dare anything and any
body. Mr.. Tillman made even a
worse mistake than this. He was
the victim OF confidence man and
purchased a gold brick OF criminal
charges against his colleague for a
paltry sum, and we are inclined to
think that he was a very willing
victim. His experience in life and
especially in public affairs should
have taught him long ago that the
fellow who comes around TO your
office and begins to whisper into
your ear terrible charges against his
neighbors, and then exacts from You
a promise that you will not divulge
his name, is dangerous man. When
one willingly receives such news to-
oether with the exactions heretofore
mentioned he becomes "A receptacle
for the foulest gossip that a scandal
monger is capable OF giving We
w;ll admit that occasionally there
must be an exchange OF confidence
between friends, but it is a safe rule
70 give but little credence to criminal
charges, when made insuch a manner
as described above. 1t is nothing to
the credit of Senator Tillman that
he listened to such tales, and 1t
il Ear less creditable that he should
deliver them to our National l4egis-
lo+ure in the manner in which he re-
ceived them. The moral to the
whole thing is be careful how you
charge a man with a crime and al
WAYS be ready to prove it, in every
instance avoiding any Information
that is given by these confidence
men"