The Washington herald., 1907-07-29
a Few Words on Graft.

EDITOR The Washington Herald.
Graft-What is il? A would-be President
declares against the revision Of the tariff
TO secure for his election the support Of
the trusts. monopoly. money power:-that
is graft a jury. some members OF which
are large employers of Italian labor. and
wish TO keep their good will and services
for commercial gain. renders a verdict Of
murder, without hanging, in the case of
kidnapping and chiId-murdering BLACK
Hand Italians; that is graft. A candi-
date for public office. a public officer. or
one for him. with his knowledge. seeking
support, by whatsoever means, with prom
Use Of reward; that is graft 4 husband
who has labored sixteen hours, or only
seven, for family support, with tired feel
ing hikes home for comfort and rest. and
has to praise his wife for her good house
keeping before he can sit down to the
supper table in peace; that is graft. A
wife who has made herself stunnlnglv
beautiful in miIIiner-made dress REQUIRES
her overworked and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
husband 10 praise her skill and beauty
before he has gotten half a nose indoors.
or be subject to accusations Of love-dying:
that is graft. The wasting of time and
thousands in investigation of the act and
motive OF the President in the Brownsville
affair to gain negro votes; that is graft
a newspaper failing to print certain
things for the public good, for fear of
losing a certain class of subscribers: that
is graft Journalism. the freest and most
powerful of all professions. becoming sub
seTvient to commeTcialism; that is graft
A governor Of a State, turning aside Jury.
States attorney, court below, court above
-Suprome-and the viii of the commu-
nifty, uprooting law and order. and declar-
ing the so-called unwritten law supreme.
for some sinister within or personal ad-
vantage; that is graft. A jury, Common
wealth attorney, the court, and a com
munity putting into the hands of a per-
son. mental responsibility disregarded. the
sO-cailed UnWritten law, to right a wrong.
real or fancied. who takes advantage of
It for personal gain. or spite. or revenge;
that is graft An ignOramus at the head
of something by virtue of politics, or be-
ing akin to father receives encomiums
and credit for that due to the efforts and
acts Of persons Of capacity under him.
that is graft Winking at head waiter on
entering public dining-room, thereby get
ting { sired seats at desired table: that is
graft, Tipping waiter in hotel. where all
guests are on equality. thereby getting
advantageous attention; that is graft. A
Congressman secures legislative appropri-
alton of 100000 for a post-office site worth
500, 600 at private sale, that he may gain
or keep political power; that is graft. A
public officer disrsgaTding the civil service
law. or the spirit of the civil service. Civ
ing preferment for political gain: that is
graft. A public officer. disregarding civil
service law, or its spirit. giving prefer
ment, or personal grounds, to subversion
Of another's superior rights; that is graft.
The navy squadron Pacific move. for lin
g0ism and thiTd-teTmism; that is graft.
The Washington press. hurting column
after column of-law-breaking anathemas
at Mayor Garrett and Marshal Collins. TO
put them in duranee vile and under duress
in the performance of public duty; that
Is graft. A newspaper giving column
after column to the japanese war scare.
or some other no more important thing.
for no other purpose than 70 sell papers
and Ill up space thereby causing eve
strain in reading worthless matter; that
is graft A would-be President Ct the
nation, in his present official administra-
tive capacity, allowing some church de-