The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-10-29
Seyirest Indictment Of His Party by
President Himself.
he TOLD OF GENERAL CORRUPTION
Frauds, F0rgelies and Perjuries
Offenses His Official Message
Finds Among Notorious
Violations Of Law.

There is not in existence, nor is
there likely to be, severer indictment
of the party in power that that by
President Roosevelt himself in his an
nual message to the second session of
the Fifty-eighth Congress, transmitted
ON Monday. Dec. Z, 1903.
Has the country forgotten how he
referred to the general corruption in
the departments-not merely the Post
Office Department, but he included all
the departments? From the manner
in which he referred to the ''deplor-
able state of affairs it was thought
that there would be a wholesale purg-
ing. and the consequence was that
twhen the message was promulgated
the departments were in panic. But
their fears were unWarranted. only
a few offenders here and there were
to be moleSted.
But here is that part of the mes
sage in reference to the prevalent cor
ruption at Washington:
In my last annual message, in con-
nection with the subject of the due
regulation of combinations of capital
which are or may become injurious
to the public, recommended special
Luz luS UStlCt ChlOI
OF the antitrust law as it now stands,
to be extended under the direction OF
the Attorney-General. Accordingly (by
the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation act of February %, 1908;
32 Stat, S54, 500, the Congress ap-
propriated for the purpose of enforc-
ing the various Federal trust and in
terstate-commerce laws the sum of five
hundred thousand dollars, to be eX-
pended under the direction of the At
torney- General in the employment of
special counsel and agents in the De-
partment of Justice to conduct pro-
ceedings and prosecutions under said
laws in the courts of the United States,
now recommend as matter or the
utmost Importance and urgency the eX-
tension of the purposes of the appro-
priation, so that it may be available
under the direction of the Attorney
General, and until used for the enforce
ment of the laws of the United States
in general, and especially OF the civil
and criminal laws relating to postal
crimes and offenses and the subject OF
naturalization. Recent investigations
have shown a DEPLORABLE STATE
OF AFFAIRS IN THESE THREE
MATTERS OF VITAL CONCERN BY
VARIOUS FRAUDS AND BY FORG-
ERIES AND PERJURIES, THOU
SANDS OF ACRES OF THE PUBLIC
DOMAIN, embracing lands ofditferent
character and extending through var
ious sections of the country, have been
dishonesty acquired. 1t is hardly nee
eSsary to urge the Importance of re-
covering these dishonest acquisitions,
stolen from the people, and of prompt
ly and duly Furnishing the offenders.
speak in another part of this message
Of the widespread crimes and offense
by which the sacred right of citizen
ship is falsely asserted and that Id
estimable heritage perverted to base
-entis. By sfmf1, :, means@THROUGH
FRAUDS, FORGERIES AND PER
JURIES AND BY SHAMEPuLBRlB-
ERIES-THE LAWS RELATING
TO THE PROPER CONDUCT OF
THE PUBLIC SERVICE IN GENER-
AL, AND TO The DUE ADMINS
TRATION OF THE POSTOFEICE
DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN NO
TORIOUSLY VIOLATED, AND
MANY INDICTMENTS HAVE BEEN
FOUND, AND THE CONSEQUENT
PROSECUTIONS ARE IN COURSE
OF HEARING OR ON THE EVE
THEREOF. FOR THE REASONS
THUS INDICATED AND so THAT
THE GOVERNMENT MAY BE PRE-
PARED TO ENFORCE PROMPTLY
AND WITH THE GREATEST Eff
Feet THE PENALTIES FOR SUCH
VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW, AND
TO THIS END MAY BE FUR
NISHED WITH SUFFICIENT IN
STRUMENTALITIE AND COMPE-
TENT LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR
THE INVESTIGATIONS AND
TRIALS WHICH WILL BE NECES-
SARY AT MANY DIFFERENT
POINTS OF THE COUNTRY,
URGE UPON THE CONGRESS THE
NECESSITY OF MAKING THE
SAID APPROPRIATION AVAIL
ABLE FOR IMMEDIATE USE FOR
ALL SUCH PURPOSES, TO BE EX-
PENDED UNDER THE DIREC-
TION OF THE ATTORNEY-GEN-
ERAL."
By nothing is a public mans charac-
ter better to be judged than by what he
has to say to the public.
How sLall the people who will vote
for President in November better ar
rive at fair judgment Of the character
of Theodore Roosevelt, as he is, than
by his latest utterances? His supporters
and advisers say that he consulted them
and discussed with them his most i'm
pOrtant acts and declarations.
But what is left to be said Of a Presi-
dent, however Influenced, who in one
breath finds fault with all Of his de-
partments, saying that by frauds, forg-
o,.ioc and neriuries they are in de-
plorable condition, and, in the next
breath, as in his letter of acceptance,
speaking of his Administrations record,
declares: ga truthful recital would
leave no room fo- adverse commentY
Was the man nwho wrote the message
to Congress only last December sim
Ncere? Was his recital truthful =
Was the same man who wrote letter
accepting the Republican nomination
for President sincere?