The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1907-11-02
Press and Comment
Prosecuted Politicians.


Formerly the man in politics could do anything
he preferred to do and his blind partisans dupes
and hirengs would whoop for him and fight for
him just the 1t is different these days, and the
rascal in politics has begun to go to the peniten-
tiary just as other rascals 60
Nevertheless and Notwithstanding it will be OBJ
served that the politicians going to the peni-
tertiary with great reluctance and slowly!
Is it not true that great why poll
tcians have been so successful in keeping out of
pentenares is that through their great power they
have muzzled the press? When the press is fear
less, fair and united, it has been at times in
New York, Philadelphia and ST. Louis politicians
pay the penalty for their msdeeds
1t seems to require peculiar qualities in the pub
lie prosecutor to successfully carry a criminal
prosecution against politician in power.
Perhaps Mr.. Heney has been the most conspicu-
Gus among the prosecutors of public men. 1t seems
to be his speciality.
The Oregonan, in a recent article, taking the
San Francisco Examiner to task for its attacks on
Mr.. Heney describes his characteristics those
necessary for success in his field of action In its
editorial comments the Oregonian says, in part:
Again, an insdious and unrelenting newspaper
warfare, such the Examiner has undertaken to
wage upon Mr. Heney might break the spirit and
destroy the resolution of some 1t might harry
them into fit of disgust with the public service,
often repays it with contumely and ingratitude. But
it may be asserted very confidently that Mr.. Heney
is not that kind of man. Detract1on seems to
stimulate rather than depress him He thrives upon
ingrattude and relishes calumny other do
praise. He attacks his work with a passion which
opposition only fans into hercer flame 1t would
be difficult to imagine anybody speaking of Mr.
Heney a tolerant On the contrary he is
intensely into1erant He is a good hater as the
great apostle of common sense in morality used to
say, and he has selected the objects of his hatred
with keen and benefcent discrimination.
Is it not Mr. Heney's intolerance that makes
fetch for the last fifty years of that limp and spine
less doll which is called federation? Is the
who hates nothing, blames nothing and fights moth
ing OF much account in the world? Has the human
them? The so-caed virtue of tolerance is a highly
composite affair made up of incidence cowardice
and Indifference with other less conspicuous ingre-
dents One who believes nothing strongly is quite
willing that everybody else should believe anything
nothing they please. All faiths live together in
happy family when all of them are half dead, but
not otherwise A man who little difference between
vice and virtue discover no reason for violent
attacks upon vice. What is the use Of making such
a fuss tweedle dunn and tweedle dee? Wrong
left to itself ourishes and spreads throughout civil
society like a Corroding cancer. 1t can be checked
only by positive opposition and will never op-
pose it effectively unless they hate it. 1t the fam
ing passion for righteousness that has saved the
world in all its crises, and it is that passion
that must from the corruption that is
eating its way to the vitals of government in Our
Mr.. Heney is peculiarly the
tor the times because he is of relentless intolerance
or what he knows is wrong. And that there is so
much of wrong in our politics everywhere is be-
ause of the easy, indoent tolerance which we have
cultivated thinking it was virtue, when in reality
is objectionable vice. In matters of fashion
nd taste it is well to tolerate the most diverse
onduct where principle is involved federation in
arably signifies yielding to evil.