The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-31

| our eyes to the evils which ought to be
| stared and stormed out of countenance.
| With the giants weapon and the strength
| to use it, we patiently and submissively
| consent 10 be driven by pigmies like the
OK to the slaughter. There is loud de-
nand for the formation in this respect
right here in Oklahoma. And the honor
and dignity and self-Vespect of our pro-
fession unite in this demand. A man said
to me the other day. The truth should
not always be spoken
Where did you get that? asked
In the Bible he answered.
II spent two solid hours trying to ind
it in my Bible. 1t is not there. make
this announcement, brethren, for our mu-
tual benefit and comfort.
ALWAYS FOR THE OTHER FELLOWS
in politics. newspaper men accom-
! plish miracles-for the other fellow; al
ways for the other fellow. We can make.
and often do make, great big, robust
! men out Of material that no other class
| of skilled laborers would touch with
forty foot pole. 1 never could exactly
| understand why we do this foolish and
improbable thing so often, with our
eyes wide open TO its inexcusable enor-
| nifty. II the man so made was an i'm
| provement on the material used in his
creation. that would be an excuse for the
act. But this is seldom the case. 1t is
certainly not due to hypnotism, for this
science is backed by intelligence. l do
not pretend TO understand it. I plead
profound, dark. dismal, gloomy ignor-
ance l only know that it is true. l
have seen il done, and I have lent
willing hand in the operation; and
| have always had occasion for hating my
self on account of it. This is done in
! politics. | presume every newspaper
| peson can readily recall offences against
| public decency of this sort, in which he
has been particeps criminis. l don't ask
anyone to confess. l prefer that he
should not, for il is a virtue TO be
| ashamed of our sins. The public offices
of the country are filled with unim-
peachable evidences of our objectionable
guilt We have told the people in our
newspapers that men were good. COM
| petent. loyal, trustworthy and true. We
| have repeated this from day to day. week
in and week out, when we positively
knew in our own hearts that every word
of it was an indefensible. bold and cow
I
crime for the sake of politics. Fortunate
ly if the subjects of our profuse and
elaborate eulogies do not disgrace them
| selves before we have succeeded IN
boosting them into high places. the peo-
/ pie sometimes discover the danger, and.
! by putting their big, broad, honest feet
/ down, avert it. have seen instances in
/ the columns of the newspapers in which
| a dozen men have been announced for the
same office, and the editor has said OF
each of them, in his turn. that he was
morally mentally politically and physi-
! cally thoroughly qualified for the position.
| Usually the editor warns up TO his work
as il grows on his hands, five dollars at
] a clip, and the last man is pictured as
veritable saint. And yet ii is not infre-
! quently true that some Of these men are
such we'll known dead beats that they
could not buy a bag of flour on credit
| over night, if they were half starved, and
and from whom the editor even demands
his five dollars in advance. knowing full
well that if he does not get il before the
pahegeric is written and printed he never
will.
THE PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS
FOOLED.
Do we fool the people by these shame
| less performances? Is it a wonder that
| self respecting men imbibe a contempt
! for the local newspaper? Is it a wonder
! that the newspaper. in some cases, re-
/ iapses into mere vehicle for scavenger
| purposes. and its editor becomes mere
newer of wood and drawer of water for
the political Philistines by whom he is
| surrounded? OF course, l am not de-
scribing conditions in Oklahoma. No such
| cases exist here. / have lately been read
| ing about the dreadful state Of affairs in
| Missouri where the legislature, boosted
| and puffed into Office by the means de-
| scribed have sold out. body and SOUL
TO the Royal Baking Powder and AmSi-
can Book companies, and where mem
bers, lost TO all shame, have openly ac
i vertised their perfdy by the tender of
thousand dollar bills for the drinks for
the crowd Every one of these rascals
had newspapers and editors at his heels,
ready and willing to do his bidding.
II is a saving clause TO add that news
papers and editors are entitled TO the
credit of exposing and bringing these ras-
Gals TO justice And yet the silver lining
to the black cloud of unrighteousness is
obscured, in this instance, by the fact
that the exposure remained to made by
partisan and political enemies. or other
wise the scandal might have been hushed
UP forever
There have also been ugly stories con-
corning questionable transactions of our
own Oklahoma legislature. and the chief
scoundrel who claims 10 be promoter Of
these infamies is credited with Boosting
OF his practical ownership of thirty-four
out of the thirty-nine members; that
there were five men only in that body
upon whose garments there was no smell
of fire-two of whom. to my positive and
personal knowledge. reside and have their
being in Kingisher county. OF course.
do not believe these scandalous stories.
For, brethren of the Oklahoma press. did
we not know these men-all OF them?
And did we not urge the people to vote
for them because we knew they were
good men, honest and true?
What a precious comfort it is. anyhow,
to read that God refused to destroy
Sodom and Gomorrah as long as ten re-
ligious men could be found within the
city.
THE YELLOW DOG IN POLITICS
I pause to declare here and now. that
shall hail the day, IL live to see it. when
a newspaper which openly proclsins its
Interchangeable devotion 20 a political
party. whether il be in the right O. in the
wrong. will not be tolerated In an Amer
lean community. That day is coming
This class of newspapers Is rapidly be-