The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-07-12
ROOSEVELT TO EDITORS.
Says No Other Body of His Country
men Weld Such influence.

Editors from all parts OF the Uni.
ted States assembled in the Auditor
ium Building at the jamestown Ex-
position. They were members Of the
National Editorial Association, which
held its annual convention there. The
chief feature was the address OF
President Roosevelt, who spoke as
follows:
1T is Of course a mere truism TO
say that no other body OF our coun-
trymen WELD as extensive an influ-
ence as those who write for the daily
press and for the periodicals. 1t is
also a truisn to say that such power
implies the gravest responsibility.
and the man exercisingit IL should hold
himself accountable, and should be
held by others accountable, pre-
cisely as IL he occupied any
other position OF public trust.
do not intend to dwell upon
your duties to-day, however, save
that j shall permit myself to point
out one matter where ii seems to me
that the need OF our people is vital.
1t is essential that the man in public
life and the man who writes in the
public press shall both of them, IL
they are really good servants OF the
people, be prompt to assail wrongdo-
ing and wickedness. But in thus as
sailing wrongdoing and wickedness
there are two conditions to be full
filed, because If unfulfilled harm and
not good will result. In the first
place, be sure of your facts and avoid
everything like hysteria or exaggera-
ton; for to assail a decent man for
something OF which he is innocent is
scoundrel, while indulgence in hys-
terical exaggeration serves to weak
en-, not strengthen, the statement OF
truth. - the second place, be sure
tsat you base your judgment on con-
duct, and not on the social or eco
nomic position of the individual with
whom you are dealing. There are
good and bad men in every walk OF
life, and their being good or bad does
not depend upon whether they have
or do not have large bank accounts.
Yet this elemental fact, this fact
which we all accept as self-evident,
when we think each Of us OF the peo-
pie whom he himself knows In his
business and social relations, is often
completely ignored by certain public
men and certain public writer's. The
men who thus ignore IL and who at
tack wickedness only when found In
particular class are always unsafe
and are sometimes very dangerous
leaders. Distrust equally the man
who is never able 10 discover any
vices OF rich men TO attack and the
man who confines himself to attack
ing the sins and shortcomings OF rich
men. II is sure sign OF moral and
mental dishonesty in any man
IL in his public assaults upon
iniquity he is never able TO see any
iniquity save that OF particular
class; and this whether he is able 10
see the crimes OF arrogance and OPP
preston in the rich or the crimes Of
envy and violence In the poor. He is
no true American IL he is a respectei
OF persons where right and wrong are
concerned, and IL he fails TO de.
nounce the demagogue no less than
the corruptionist. TO denounce alike
crimes OF organized greed and crimes
OF brutal violence. There is equal
need to denounce the wealthy mar
who swindles investors or buys legis
latures or oppresses wage workers
and the needy man who infames
class hatred or incites mob violence
We need to hold the scales OF justice
even, and to weigh them down Oh
one side is as bad as to weigh them
down on the other"