The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-04-20
President Attacks
sensation WRITERS
MUD-SLINGERS WHO ASSAIL
PROMINENT MEN WITHOUT
CAUSE CONDEMNED.
Famous "Muck-Rake" Speech Is De-
livered by Roosevelt at Corner
Stone Laying in Washington
Rich Men Warned.

Washington, April 16.-The widely
heralded and sensational ''muck-rake'
speech of President Roosevelt was de-
livered at the laying of the corner
stone of the Office building for the
house of representatives Saturday
afternoon. The saturnalia of SANDER,
mudslinging and libel which is being
carried on in the guise of moral re-
form was mercilessly exposed and con-
demned by the president.
Vicious Writers Rebuked.
The sordid, reckless, irresponsible
contributors, writer's and editors of
yellow newspapers and yellow maya
zines, who have been devoting their
evil talents to indiscriminate attacks
upon men in business and in public
life, were rebuked in manner that is
likely to render their unworthy and
menacing occupation less profitable in
the future than it has been in the past.
The president did not equivocate In
denouncing these charlatans of liter
AZURE.
"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 po-
litical profit out of the destruction of
character can only result in public
calamity" 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 out the rascals for distinc-
ton from their fellows"
"The foundation stone of national
life is, and ever must be, the high in
izen."
Thus the president arraigned the
bandits of daily newspapers and
monthly magazines, who have been
striving to convert the unrest of the
times into personal fortunes at the ex-
pense of the characters of whomsoever
they deemed worthy of assault with
their slanderous and libelous pens.
Recognizing the existence of evils,
social and economic, the president
urges warfare. but deplores the &C
lions Of those who make indiscrim-
mate attacks on men of business or
public life, declaring such course
would only react in favor of the I'M
scrupulous.
Rich Men Warned.
The huge fortunes being amassed in
this country are regarded as men,
ace to public welfare and a progress
i've tax is urged whereby these for
tunes should be curtailed and limited
to a certain amount.
Rich men are also warned Of the
danger in attempting to prevent the
regulation and control Of their bust
ness in the interest of the public.
The presidents speech was, perhaps,
the most notable that he has deliv-
cred during the past four years. In
some respects 1t is the most impor-
tant because it aims to reach the
masses of the people, whose unrest
has been stimulated by the overdoses
of hysteria emanating from the pens
of the men whom he convicts Of SIAN
der
He took for his text the man with
the muck rake of Bunyan's Pilgrim
Progress 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.
The president had previously de.
scribed the man with the muck rake
at Speaker Cannon's dinner, where he
electrified a concourse of distin-
guished men, who had been drawn
from all sections of the country to
pay honor to the first citizen of I'LL
nois. On that occasion the speech of
the president was intended only for
the ears of those who were present
and could not be published
The actual ceremonies in connec-
ton with the laying of the cornerstone
were most impressive. A distin-
guished assemblage, embracing the
supreme court, members of the SEN
ate and the house of representatives
and the diplomatic corps, witnessed
the proceedings. Walter A. Brown,
grand master of the Masons of the
District of Columbia, laid the corner
stone, assisted by the grand lodge.