The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-04-14

thinks or speaks or writes. save of
his feats with the muck-rake. speedily
becomes. not a help to society. not an
incitement TO good. but one of the
most potent forces for evil
Many Grave Evils
There are. IN the body polite. eco
nomIc and social, many and grave
evils. and there is urgent necessity
for the Stenest war upon them There
attack upon every evil man. whether
Doiiticiaa or business man every evil
Epractice; whether in politics. in bust
ness. or in social life. I nail as a
benefactor every writer or speaker.
every man who. on the platform. or
in book, magazine or newspaper. with
mercileSS severity makes such attack.
provided always that he in his turp
remembers that the attack is OF use
only If it IS absolutely truthful The
liar is no whit better than the thief
and II his mendacity takes the form
of SANDER he may be worse than
most thieves. It puts premium upon
tuarery untruthfuliy, to attack an hon
est man. or even with hySterical eN-
aSGeratiou- to aSSal a bad man with
unUuth. An epidemic Of indiscriu-
mate assault upon character does not
good, but very great harm The soul
even an honest man is assailed, or
even when a Scoundrel is uQtTuthfu1-
ly assai1ed-
Now. it Is easy to twist cut Of
shape what 1 have just said. easy to
affect to misunderstood it. and. i it
is slurrej over in repetition. not difi-
cult really to misunderstood it Some
persons are sincerely incapable Of un-
derstanding that to denounce mue:
singing does not mean the 1ndorSe-
ment of whitewaShing: and both tIe
interested individuals who need white
washing. and those others who prac-
tice mud singing like to encourage
such confusion of IDEAS One OF the
chief counts against those who make
indiScrimiQate assault upon men III
business or men in public life, is that
they invite a reaction which is sure
to tell powerfully in favor of the un-
ScrupulouS Scoundrel who really ought
to be attacked. who ought to be eH-
posed. who ought. If possible. to be put
in the penitentiary. II Aristides is
praised overmuch as just people SeI
tired of hearing it; and over censure
of the unjust finally and from similar
reasons results in their favor.
Any excess IS almost sure to invite
a reaction; and. unfortunately, the
reaction. instead of taking the form
| of punishment of those guilty of the
excess. is very apt to take the form
either OF punishment OF the unoffena-
ing or Of giving immunity. and even
strength, to offenders. The effort TO
make financial or political profit out
OF the destruction Of characters can
only result in public calamity Gross
and reckless assaults on character,
whether on the stump or in newSpa-
per, magazine. or book. create NOR
bid and vicious public sentiment. and
at the same time act as a profound d
deterrent to able men Of normal sem
Sitiveness and tend to prevent the1a
from entering the public service At
any price. AS an instance in point,
may mention thatoue serious difficult.
ty encountered in getting the right
type of men to dig the Panama Canal
IS the certainty that they VIII be eS-
posed, both without, and, am soTy
to say, sometimes within, Congress,
TO utterly reckless assaults on their
character and capacity
4 Plea for Exposure.
at theEiSk OF repetition let me say
!again that my plea sis mot for i1nn.I-
Unity to but for the most uuspaHng ex-
Iposure OF the politician who betrays