Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-04-24
MUCK RAKE MISUSE.
PRESIDENT BRANDS 1T AS FOE
OF REFORM.
Standing Firm in War on Real Pub
lie Evils, Roosevelt Warns ofDan-
ger in Rash a observation-disclosures
Graduated Inheritance Tax.
Washington correspondence:

ger IN Rash \ observation-disclosures
Graduated Inheritance Tax.
Washington correspondence:
President Roosevelt gave Congress
and the country something new to think
about Saturday In an address follow
ing the ceremonies at the laying of the
corner stone of the House of Represent.
atives office building. speaking to a dis
tinguished and composite assemblage.
such as seldom is gathered aside from
the quadrennial inaugurals. the Presi-
dent of the United States denounced the
misuse of the muck rake as an obstacle
instead of IN aid to real reform and
advocated Il Federal progressive tax on
all large fo2tunes which will prevent
the transmission in life or by bequeSt
upon death of those swollen beyond all
healthy limits
Both houses of Congress were there
in body together with most of the
dignitaries and official WaShington-thc
Supreme Court, the cabinet and mem
bers of the diplomatic corps Society
was represented by the wives and fam
lilies of the President and others in Off
cial life, and the rest of the concourSe
was composed of knights of masonry
and several thousand citizens from the
ordinary walks.
The President spoke some plain
things to Congress, and especially the
Senate, which as body the chief ex-
ecutive does not frequently have an OPP
portunity of addressing in person. The
scheme of seating was such that the
Senate was literally at the Presidents
feet, and the executive could have
reached over the rail of the speakers
stand and touched the heads of Spoon
er, Lodge, Foraker and other leaders
who occupied the front pew
The Man with the Muck Rake
formed the text for the principal part
of the address, but in his attack on Il
certain class of sensational writers the
President let be understood that he
wasn't attempting a Job of whitewash-
the muck-rake man was Il useful citi-
zen, who is dangerous only when greed
for sensationalism leads him beyond
the truth
The very rich and the leaders of the
labor world were not differentiated be-
tween when the President gave his at
tention to men and deeds of current in
terest.
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" was one of the Presi-
dents sentences.
The effort to make financial or p0-
litical profit out of the destruction of
character can only result in public ca
lamity," was another.
"Hysterical sensationalism is the
very poorest weapon wherewith to fight
for lasting righteousness"
IF the whole picture is painted black
there remains no hue whereby to single
OFT the raScals for distinction from
their fellows.
The foundation stone of national life
is and ever must be, the high indi,id-
ual character of the average citizen
A graduated Inheritance tax that
would make impossible the conveyance
intact of 4 tremendous fortune, such
as that of John d. Rockefeller. to some
other keen money accoUmulator. who.
with this gigantic aggregation of
wealth to start with, could continue
to add to the mountain of money and
i'll turn convey it again to another with
similar capabilities, was among the
things advocated by President ROose-
welt in his speech.
The Presidents speech was. perhaps.
the most notable that he has delivered
during the. past four years. In some
respects tits the most important He
took for his text the man with the
muck rake of Bunyan's Pilgrims
Progress"-the man whose vision was
fixed on carnal, instead of spiritual
things--who typifies the man who in
this life consistently refuses to see
aught that is lofty and fixes his eyes
with stolid intent only on that which is
vile and debasing