The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-04-16
MUCK RAKE
CONDEMNED
President Deprecates Rash Ii
boIS on Public Men.
CONTROL OF TRUSTS
RoOseveItBefore Notable Assembly
Took For His Text Character
In Pilgrims Progress"

WASH NGTON. April III. In the
presence of both houses OF congress,
members Of the diplomatic corps and
a great cohcourse of people the presi-
dent delivered his already famous
speech on The Man With the Muck
Rake" The presidents address, which
was enthusiastically received was de-
livered at the end OF the Masonic cere-
monies attending the laying OF the cor
nerstone of the office building for the
use OF members Of the house of repre-
sentatives The gaye used during the
ceremonies and atterward handled for
Il few moments by the president was
the same one used by President Wash
ingtou at The laying Of the cornerstone
OF the capitol itself in 1893.
The president came unattended by
military or naval aids aud took his
place on the platform. quietly awaiting
the conclusion of the Masonic ceremo-
MES.
He was introduced by Speaker Can
non. and after joking appeal to the
speaker to stand by him he said in
part.
over "a century ago Washington laid
the cornerstone OF the capitol in what
was then little more than tract of
wooded wilderness here beside the Pc
tomac. We now find it necessary to
provide by great additional buildings
for the business Of the government.
This growth in the need for the hous-
ing of the government is but u proof
and example of the way in which the
nation has grown and the sphere of
action of the national government has
grown
"lu Bunyan's Pilgrim Progress you
may recall the description of the man
with the muck rake. the man who
could look no way but downward. with
the muck rake IN his hand, who was
offered a celestial crown for his muck
rake, but who would neither look up
nor regard the crown he was offered
but continued 10 rake to himself the
hlih of the fuor
~ 4 iiF fAAl = AO-AfNNf AAl1 ifACNA-
dent continued, The man with the
muck rake is set forth as the exam
pie of him whose vision is fixed on
carnal instead of on spiritual things.
Yci he also typides the man who in
this life consistently refuses 10 see
aushi that is lofty and fixes his eyes
with solemn intentncsS only on that
which is vile aud dcbuSing. Now. 1t is
very necessary That We should not
finch from seeing what is vile uud de-
baSing There is filth OH the hoor. and
il must be scraped up with the muck
rake, and there are times and places
where this service is the most needed
Of all the services that can be per-
formed But the man who never does
anything else. who never thinks or
speaks or writes save of his feats with
the muck rake, speedily becomes not
Il help to society. not an Indictment TO
good, bu, one of the most potent forces
for evil
There are in the body polite. eco
nomc and social many ana grave
evils, and there is urgent necessity for
the sternest war upon them There
should he relentless exposure Of and
attack upon every evil man, whether
politician or business man. every evil
practice, whether in politics. in bust
ness or In social life. hail as Il ben
efactor every writer or speaker. every
hn Ia. 1atg -,
magazine or newspaper with merciless
severity makes such attack provided
always that he in his turn remembers
that the attack is of use only If 1t is
absolutely truthful.
The liar is no whit better than the
thief. and if his mendacity takes the
form of SANDER he may be worse than
most thieves II puts Il premium upon
knavery untruthCully to attack an hon
est man or even with hySterical exag
geration to assail bad man with I'M
truth An epidemic of indiscriminate
assault upon character does not good
but very great harm. The soul of ev-
cry scoundrel is gladdened whenever
an honest nlhh rs dSsHllou OF even
when scoundrel is untruthfully as
sailed
Now It is easy to twist out of shape
what have just said, easy to affect
TO misunderstood it, and II 1t is slurred
over in repetition not difficult really
10 misunderstood it. Some persons
are sincerely incapable of understand
ing that to denounce mud singing does
not mean the Endorsement Of white
washing, and both the interested indi-
vduals who need whltewashng and
those others who practice mud sling
ing like to encourage such confusion
of ideas one OF the chief counts
against those who make indiscriminate