The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-04-14

WASHINGTON, April 14.--1n the presence
OF a distinguished assemblage, with the
president of the United States taking a
prominent part and with the supreme
court. the senate. the house OF representa-
tives and the diplomatic corps as specta-
tors. and before large concourse OF peo-
pie the cornerstone OF the office building
for tho house OF representatives was laid
with impressive ceremonies this afternoon
The address OF the day was made by
President Roosevelt, who spoke on THE
Man With the Muck Rake"
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
The president said I'm part
In Bunyan's 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-rake
fr 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 to rake TO him
self the flth of the floor
In Pilgrims Progress the Man with the
Muck-rake IN set forth as the example
OF him whose vision Is fixed on carnal
instead of on spiritual things Yet he
also typifes the man who In this life com
eistently refuses 10 see aught that Is lofty.
and fixes his eyes with solemn intentness
only on that which Is vile and debasing
not finch from seeing what Is vile and
debasing. There is filth on the floor. and
IL must be Bcraped ur,-~4+A- tho muck
rake; and there are times and places
where this service is the most needed ot
all the services that can be performed
But the man who never does anything
else, who never thinks or writes. save Of
his feats with the muck rake, speedily
becomes, not a help 10 society. not an in
citement TO good, but one OF the most
potent forces for evil.
There are, Ia the body polite economic
and social. many and grave evils and
there Is urgent necessity for the sternest
war upon them. There should be relent-
less exposure OF and attack upon every
eva man. whether politician or business
man: every evil practice. whether In
politics, IN business or I'm social life.
hail as a benefatcor 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 I'm his turn re-
members that the attack is OF use only
if II is absolutely truthful
The liar Is no whit better than the
thief. and II his mendacity takes the form
Of slander, he may be worse than most
thieves. IL puts premium upon knav-
cry untruthfuly 20 attack an honest man.
assail bad man with untruth An epi-
demic OF indiscriminate assault upon
character does not good. but very great
harm. The soul of every scoundrel IL
gaddened whenever an honest man Is
assailed. or even when a scoundrel Is un-
truthfully assailed.
Now. 70 n easy 20 twist out of shape
what ! have Just said. easy 20 affect 10
misunderstand II and. n it Is slurred
over in repetition. not difficult really 20
mlsunderstand Il. Some persons are sim
cerely incapable of understanding that to
denounce mud Singing does not mean the
Endorsement Of whtewashiug; and both
the Interested individuals who need
white~eeA4sg and-those Others who
practice mud singing. like TO encourage
such confusion ~ ideas. One of the chief
counts against those who make lnds-
criminate assault upon men in business
or men I'm public life. s that they invite
q reaction which Is sure 60 tell power
fully IN favor ~ the INSCRIPTIONS scoun-
drei who really ought 10 be exposed who
ought. II possible. 10 be PIT IN the pcni-
tentlary.
n Aristldes IL pra 'sed ovcrmuCh as Just
people get tired ~ hearing g. and over
eensure Of the unjust finally and from