The Oskaloosa herald., 1904-09-01
MOVEMENT TOWARD HONESTY.


ableness" in dealing with crimes
against the state, his prosecution OF
thieves and law-breakers, has organ
lied against him dishonest forces In
high circles and in low circles. The
appearance of one honest man in al
group of thieves produces the instant
crystalization of the group.
Mr. White finds a homely and prac-
tical meaning in Roosevelt's action in
the postofice business, namely, that
when thief steals from the Ameri-
can government, If there is a law to-
punish him he must prepare for trial,
and If guilty go to jail, That is why
Roosevelt is regarded as an unsafe
man in certain business circles, where
business methods and traditions IL
cense acts which, scraped off the We
neer of high finance, are mere steal
ing.
The encouraging conclusion is
reached by Mr.. White that 'the move
ment toward common, old.fashioned
honesty seems to be general move
ment. 1t seems to be springing from
the people, and to, be making itself
manifest through men like Roosevelt
and Bristow and Folk and Jerome and
the Chicago crowd headed by BILLY"
Kent, and hundreds of lesser lights
known to the people OF every com
munity; this movement is using the
party system to it's end with much
practical skill; and also the move.
ment toward political decency is
clearly growing strong in the great
newspapers and magazines of the
country.
Mr. White performs public service
in telling clearly and intelligently the
inspiring story of how President
Roosevelt uncovered the frauds in
the postal department. Mr.White not
only gives the facts concerning this
great administrative sensation, but
he interprets their significance and
analyses both the tendencies which
made these frauds possible and the
newer trend which exposed them.
For nearly thirty years, Mr.. White
claims, the corruption of public off,
Gals has been growing steadily worse
under the fostering care of the party
system. He who exposed public Off
GERS in their semi-legalized footing has
been viewed as an enemy of his par
ty. But recently there has been a
visible growth of moral perception in
matters political among the people
and this force may compel the lever
of the party system to act for the PEG.
pie. In the access of a real moral in.
| telligence about their politics, in the
fixing of the trait of civic honesty the
people of the United States are dis
covering an important function o
j ,Rnyernment. To bring 90 'slut sue
/, 44sSxs.Ssssse 20 - go
cog OF * Sffeans more for Americ
than the adjustment of tariffs or tn
establishment of any kind of currel
cy, argues Mr.. White. "The real in
terest in American politics is in thu
moral uplift in the administration O
the existing laws given to the country
by President Roosevelt. The mos
important manifestation of this Is
found in the way he cleaned up the
corruption he found in the postoffict
department. That story is one which
the people have not had in as exact
detail as they should have it to real
ize what manner Of man they are deal
ing with in the White House"
Mr.. White tells that story in suffi
cient detail to inform all of the essen
tial facts, yet so concisely that the
whole miserable conspiracy is uncov
cred almost at glance.
Fer years there has been crooked
ness in the postoffice department, yet
so skillfully did the grafters cover
their tracks and protect their inter
ests by collision with congressman
senators, editors and others, who
shared the benefits of their loot, that
no prosecution was even suggested
Official Washington knew the power
of the grafters and honored them
And never a hint of the conditions
came to President Roosevelt's ears
until a Washington newspaper made
the gossip concerning them the basis
for a series of articles. Washington
was aghast at such effrontery The
newspaper was boycotted and it's ed
itor discharged, but some of the hon
est officials in Washington took the
matter to the president, and he order
ed an investigation, choosing JOSEPH
l.. Bristow, fourth assistant postmas
ter general, to do the work Every
possible influence was brought to bear
on the president to stop the investiga
ton but with angry adherence fol
the alleged thieves he went after then
as terrier goes after a rat, and to
day the truth is out and this branch
of the public service immeasurably
cleansed. Many convictions, resigna
tions, fights and confessions have fol
lowed the investigations, and dishon
esty in the public service is at dis
count.
1t makes wholesome as we'll as in
teresting reading this story of public