Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-18
THE MAN WITH
THE MUCK RAKE.
,,or.RLE ADDRESS BY PREsT'
DENT ROOSEVELT.
r,,vrREp AT CORNER STONE LAYING
p1 - xry OFFICE BUILDING IN
WASHINGTON SATURDAY.

.As having Of the cornerstone OF the
agHc, building for the House of Rep
NV ,,;,ea In Washington Saturday,
n..sideut Roosevelt delivered the princi-
s.Adrcs.. His subject was ''rhe Man
I'm the Muck Rake, and tho speech was
-o,able one, and characteristics OF the
,..stsr. The President said:
or.t century ago Washington laid the
...,sr stone OF the capitol in what was
~ ~. iiftle more than q tract OF wooded
lhia here beside the Potomac. We
WI and h necessary TO provide by great
hS9sitional buildings fer the business OF
~ e,yerument. This growth in the need
.i6a housing Of the government Is but
rr.sof and example of the way IN which
~ ION has grown and the sphere OF
ssSt;sn Of the national government has
So, We now administer the affairs Of
nstlon ia which the extraordinary
,rtb pf population has been outstFipped
kkr,ss growth Of wealth and the growth
sosnf,iex interests. The material prob
i1-ss tbat face as to-day arc not such as
,Lev xere In Washington's time, bat the
"nderlving facts cf human nature are the
ssre now - they were then. Under al
ssred external form we war with the same
n Washiugton's time and are helped by
he same tendencies for good. Ii is about
soms oi these that | wish to say word
IN gepyan's Pilgrims Progress you may
,scall the description OF the man with the
mpck-rake. the man who could look no
way tut downward, with the muek-rake
in h.s hand; who was offered celestial
crown Tor his mnck-Take, bat who would
I'd ltss hg.
va offered, but continued to rake to him
Nh The hlth OF the floor.
MAN WITH THE MucK-RAKE.
In Pilgrims Progress tho man with the
unuck-rake is set forth as the example of
him whose vision Is fixed on carnai in
,tead Of on spiritual things. Vet he also
tyuifes the man who In this life consist
sutly refuses to sec sught that is lofty,
and dxes his eyes with solemn inteutncss
only on that which Is vile and debasing.
Now, IL Is very necessary that we
should NOT finch from seeing what Is vile
and debasing. There is fiith on the floor,
and il must be scraped up with the muck
nske; aud there are times and places where
this service IL the most needed OF ali the
services that can be performed. But the
man tho never does anything else, who
never thinks or speaks or writes, save OF
bis leats with the muck rake, speedily be-
comes, not help In society, not an incite-
,neni 10 good, but one Of the most potent
forces for evil.
There are, in the body polite, economic
and social, many and grave evils, and
there Is urgent necessity for the steruest
war upon them. There should be re-
lentloss exposure of aud attack upon
every evil man, whether politician or
business man. every evil practice, whether
in politics, In business, or in social life,
| hail Is a benefactor every writer or
speaker, every man who, ON the platform
or IN book, magazine or newspaper, with
merciiess severity makes such attack,
provided always that he in his tarn re-
members that the attack Is OF use only IL
L is absolutely truthful. The liar Is no
whit better than the thief, and IL hys
mendaciiy takes the form OF Islander, Ne
may b. wuTsc than most thieves. IL puts q
spFemiam upon kuavery untruthfuiiy to
attack an honest man or even With
hysisricai exaggeraiion 10 assan n bad
man with untruth. An epidemic of in
discriminate assault upon character does
no good, but very great harm. The soul
OF every scoundrei Is gladdgncd whenever
an homes, man j. assaulted or even when q
seoundrel is untruthtully assailed.
Now, il Is easy TO twist out OF shape
what have just said, easy to affect 10
misunderstand 1t, and IL Ii il slurred over
IN repetition, not difficult really to mis-
understand il. Some persons are sincerely
incapable OF understanding that to de-
noance mud singing does not mean the
endorsement OF whitewashiug; and both
The interested individuals who need
whiiewashing, and those others who prac-
lice mud singing, like to encourage such
confusion OF ideas. One OF the chief
counts against those who make indis-
Gtninate assault upon men in business or
men IN public life, Is that they invite a
reaction which is sure to tell powerfully
u iavor OF the INSCRIPTIONS scoundrel
VINO really ought to be attacked, who
eeght 10 be exposed, who ought, II posi-
eie, 70 be put in the penitentiary. IL
Alstides Is praised oyermuch as Just, peo-
PIE get tired OF hearing IL: and over
@nsure Of the unjust finally and from
suniiar reasons results in their favor.
PENALTY OF ExcEssEs.
ANY excess Is almost sure to invite
reaction; and unfortunately, the react ion,
instead OF taking the form OF punishment
vslhose guilty OF excess, Is very apt to take
tae form either of punishment OF the
snohending, or Of giving immunity
a.d even strength to offenders. The
snort 10 make financial or political
ptont cut of the destruction OF
snsfAeter can only result in public
calamity. Gross and reckless assaults
=
~ new spaper, magazine, or book, create a
morbid and vicious public sentiment, and
= we same time act as profound deter
rsnt 70 able men OF normal sensitiveness
s sna tend 10 prevent them from entering
sns public service at any price. As an in
stance IN point, | may mention that one
,xlious uiificulty encountered in getting
we right type Of men TO dig the Panama
ANA ANA ~ the certainty that they will be
exposed, both without, and, / am sorry to
ny, sometimes within, Congress, to Mt
s VA reckless assaults on their character
and capacity.
a. Al the risk OF repetition let me say
tsSih that my plea is, not for immunity
~ out LOT the most unsparing exposure
~ tHe politician who betrays his trust, OF
w w plg business man who makes or spends
ns fortune in illegitimate or corrupt
tays. There should be resolute effort
t ~ nent every such man out of the posi-
s s,oa ne has disgraced. Expose the crime,
anu hunt down the criminal; but re-
!, snioer that even in the case OF crime, II
MS Is attacked in sensational, lurid, and
rnau ushiul fashion, the attack may do
sr Sss damage 10 the public mind than the
tt iine itself. 1t Is because I feel that
snefe should be no rest in the endless war