Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-06-15

Eugene, Or, June 15.-Governor
George E. Chamberlain delivered the
annual commencement address in
Willard Hall last night before a large
and appreciative audience. The gov.
ernor's subject was, "Oficial Delin
quency It's Cause and Cure"
He said in part:
"a distinguished orator and gifted
writer in an address delivered not
long since expressed 1t as his opin.
ion that the ideal in public life relates
rather to the agglomeration of the
state than to any individual example; /;
to people sufficiently lifted above
the strifes and passions of their lead
ers to discriminate between right and
wrong. The ideal in public life,' he
concludes, is first of all and over all
a public opinion compelling the same
moral obligation In public as in pri-
vate affairs of public opinion able
to distinguish between the spurious
and the real in short, trainel in
telligence sufficiently diffused among
the people to protect them at least
against the grosser forms Of decep.
tion."
According to this view, the faithful
public servant Is only such to the ex.
tent that his character is moulded
and his actions inspired by healthy
public sentiment which drives him
to be faithful and honest in the per
formance of whatever is given his
hand to do. / cannot say that |
agree to the full with such a doctrine
though we must all concede its force.
True it Is that healthy public opin.
ion will compel even a dishonest man
to the observance of moral obliga.
| tions in public life as in private life.
II will compel him to a course of
life and to line of conduct which
may be out of harmony and out of
alignment with the prompting5 of
wicked heart and a disordered con-
science Instances of the kind can be
called up by all of us from the store
house of memory. Yet 1t does not
necessarily follow that an unhealthy
public opinion can, or was ever known
to, cause an honest unright man to
vary enc jot or little from the strict.
Path Of official or private duty, nor
does it always follow that in those
communities and municipalities
where there Is an apparently healthy
public opinion. there are not found
those who from one cause or another
defect occasionally from the path of
official duty, and fail, notwithstand
ing such opinion, in carrying out pub.
lie as well as private obligations.
One thing is certain, however, that
where public conscience is scared,
and where there is lack of respect
for law and order, official lrregularity
and dishonesty prevail to an alarming
extent.
Instances innumerable might be
given to show a state Of affairs which
calls for an aroused public conscience
and the revival "of a public opinion
compelling the same moral obligation
In public as in private affairs; OF a
public opinion able to distinguish be.
tween the spurious and the real; in
short, of a trained intelligence sufi.
ciently diffussed among the people to
grosser forms of deception" Nor can
be laid to the door OF one party and
not the other. There is no politics
among thieves. Inter molles conccr'
dia--there is unanimity amongst
scoundrels, In Democratic strong.
hold, the criminals are Democrats,
as In ST, Louis. In Republican
stronghold the criminals are Republi-
cans, as in Minneapolis. In natinal
affairs, to the shame OF our citizen
ship. be II said, the criminals are Of
both parties What is responsible
for this laxity in public morals?
First | would say. the people them.
selves.
AT every session OF every leglsla-
tive body who has not watched the
scores of bills introduced solely for
the purpose OF collecting blaekmail
from moneyed interests and promi
nent citizens who are compelled to
come forward with influence that
speaks in order to encompass their
defeat? The perennial railroad bill
OF one kind or another brings for
ward the railroad lobby to inspire
the sapient legislator with constitu-
tIonal reasons for opposing legisla,
tion hostile to corporations. Then
what source Of revenue to the NH
peounious member is the measure for
supervision OF banks and other mon.