Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-04-15
ROOSEVELT DELIVERS
Ills MUCK RAKE SPEECH
Look for the Good is the Theme That is Adj
vauced by the President at Corner
Stone Laying Ceremonies.
Fight DISHONESTY FOR TRUTHS SAKE
Honest Criticism is not Censured but This Everiast
ing Harping OH Things and Men Just for the
Sake Of Notoriety is Denounced i'm his
Plain Language-M
in Charge of Exercises
Fight DISHONESTY FOR

helped by the same tendencies for
good II is about some of these that
| wish to say word today
Man With the Muck Rake,
ln Bunyans Pilgrims 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-rakc in his hand; who was
Offered celestial crown for his muck
rake, but who would neither look I'M
nor regard the crown he was offered,
but continued to rake to himself the
filth Of the floor
In Pilgrims Progress the Man with
the Muck-rake is set forth as the eX-
ample OF him whose vision Is fixed on
spiritual things. Yet he also typifies
the man who in this life consistently
refuses to see aught that is lofty, and
fixes his eyes with solemn lnlentuess
only Oh that which is vile and debas.
ing. NOW, 1t Is very necessary that
we should not flincH from seeing what
lis vile anu debasing There is filth
up with the muck-rake; and there are
times and places where this service
Is the most needed of all the services
s''Ab Sa'i w POi loi thCu.. DuI IliC Ildil
who never does anything else. who
never think, or speaks or writes, save
OF his ieats with the muck rake. speed
lily becomes. not a help to society. not
an Indictment to good, but one OF the
most potent forces for evil
Many Grave Evils Exist.
There arc, in the body polite, eco
nomic and social, many and grave
evils and there is urgent necessity for
The sterncst war upon them. There
should he relentless exposure of and
attack upon every evil man, every evil
practice. whether in politics, In bust.
ness. Or In social life. | hail as
benefactor every writer or Speaker,
every man who. OH the platform, or In
book magazine. or newspaper. with
merciless severity makes such attack.
provided always that he in his turn
remembers that the attack is OF use
only II 1t is absolutely truthful. The
liar is no whit better than the thief,
and If his mendacity takes the form
of Islander, he may be worse than most
thieves. II puts premium upon
knavery untruthfully to attack all hon.
est man. or even with hysterical ex.
aggeration to aSSail a bad man with
untruth
An epidemic of indiscriminate ms.
Sault upon character does not good,
but very great harm. The soul of
every scouiidrel is gladdened when
ever all honest man is assRled. or ev.
en- when scoundrel Is untruthfuIly
assailed
No Endorsement for Whitewash.
Now. 1t is easy TO twist out of shape
what | have just said, easy to affect
to misunderstood it. aud. IL IL is
slurred over in repetition. not difficult
really to misunderstood It. Some per
sons are sincerely incapable of under.
standing that to denounce mud sling
Ing does not mean the Endorsement o!
embarrassing; aud both the Interest.
ed individuals who. need whtewash.
ing, and those others who practice
mud Singing, like to encourage sucl,
confusion of ideas.
Reaction Invited.
One Of the chief counts against
those who make indiscriminate rs.
sault upon men In business or men in
public life. is that they invite a reac-
ton which is sure 20 tell powerfully
In favor of the INSCRIPTIONS sconn.
drel who really ought to be attacked
who ought to be exposed, who ought,
i possible. To be put In the peniten-
tiary. If Aristidcs is praised over.
much as just. people get tired of hear.
ing IL; and overcensure of the unjust
finally and from similar reasons re.
suits in their favor.
Any excess is almost sure to Invite
reaction; and. unfortunately. the
reaction, instead of taking the form of
punishment of those guilty of the ex.
cess. is very apt to take the form
either of punishment of the uncffend-
Ing or of giving immunity, and even
strength, to. Offenders. The effort 10
make financial or political profit out
Of the destruction of character Gun
only result In public calamity. Gross
and reckless assaults on character.
whether on the stump or In news
paper, magazine, or book. create a
morbid and vicious public sentiment,