The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-20

All things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do We even so to them
Matthew TIL r.
That term, Square Deal" Is sadly
overworked in these latter days When
President Roosevelt promulgated it-or
borrowed it from the card players-he
defined it as an equal opportunity and
equal privileges for all men. Since then
It has been adopted by great variety
of individuals, some OF whom mean It
in its real sense and others Of whom
have seized upon the term as a means
of doing the other fellow.
It's application in Kansas to certain
political faction has made the term
reproach in the minds of the opponents
of that particular faction. This may
be Just to a certain extent, but 1t GER
tainly is not If one considers the real
meaning of the phrase. 1t is doubtless
true that there are those among the
Square Dealers in Kansas politics whose
ambition 1t is to win for their favoritc
candidates and their particular ideas by
whatever means may be possible, but
such individuals are not real Square
Dealers, no matter though they may
advocate what is known as the Square
Deal platform. The real Square Dealer
is willing to give his opponent every OPP
portunfty or advantage which he claims
for himself He has no wish to crush
his opponent any more than he himself
wishes to be crushed or Inundated. He
stands for what he conscientiously be-
lieves to be right, and he fights for his
opinions with all the force Of which he
is capable, yet he comedies to his OPP
ponent the right to do the same.
That's the genuine Square Dealer
the blown-in-the bottle brand. guaran-
teed under the pure food or any other
law.
The Square Dealer cannot acquiesce
In fraud and deception in others. 1t is
his duty to expose and fight them. Yet
fraud and deception in others do not
warrant him in indulging in the same
himself. Two wrongs never make a
right.
In the frailness of human nature all
men frequently fall short Of giving 9TH
ers a square deal. Blinded by self-in-
terest and bigotry, they frequently fail
to accord to others the same rights
which they claim for themselves.
Recently this paper was criticised for
not continuing an active fight on ex-
Senator Burton. Now Mr.. Burton is en-
titled to a square deal just as much as
is the humblest private citizen of Kan
sas, or the railroads, or the machine
crowd, or w r. Stubs, or the Conan
che bond perpetrators, or anybody else.
This paper has stated it's belief thai
Burton is wrong in his attacks on Pres
ident Roosevelt. 1t will continue to do
SO as occasion requires. On the other
hand the ex-senator has some very fair
ideas. So far as this paper knows he is
leading a decent, respectable life, he
has paid the legal penalty for his wrong
doing, and there is no great danger that
the country will suffer from any erron-
eous doctrine that he may advocate.
Therefore it would hardly seem like
square deal to make war on him now.
simply because he has sheen grossly
wrong in the past.
Those alleged Square Dealers who
are disposed to carry their war on the
railroads to the point OF unfairness are
not entitled to use the term. Neither
are those who refuse to give political
opponents due credit for good things
done while censuring the wrong.
The same principles apply in private
life. Common honesty demands the
square deal-that we do unto others as
we desire them to do unto us. It's a
broad question. but the essence of the
square deal is the Golden Rule given
by the Savior Of men.