The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-07

to be sure that the presidents recol-
lection was not at fault The story
is false in every particular from be-
ginning TO end. Not only is there no
such report in the department OF JUS
tice. and never has heen. but no such
report was ever made. In granting the
franchise of the Prairie Oil & Gas COM
pany. the president simply approved
the recommendation of Secretary
Hitchcock, submitted to him precisely
as all other recommendations were sub
mitted. Moreover, in every case re-
ferring to the granting of franchises
or the adoption of regulations as re-
CARDS oil and gas franchises in Okla
homa and the Indian Territory. the
president approved the recommended
ton of Secretary Hitchcock with the
exception of one small and unimportant
grant to Delaware Indian to whom
the Delaware Indians, in recognition of
eight years of service in the tribe, had
voted in a council a fee of $4,000,
which he had declined to accept. and
who was given twice the usual amount
of land The statement about the al
legged promise to a western senator is
ridiculous falsehood, as is the story
HabituaIIy Mendacious.
1.-The fact is that these particular
newspapers habitually and continually,
and as q matter of business, practice
every form of mendacity known to
man, from the suppression of the
truth and the suggestion of the false,
TO the lie direct. Those who write or
procure others to write these articles
are engaged in the practice of men
dacity for hire, and surely there can
De no lower form of gaining iiveli-
hood. Whether they are Paid by out
siders to say what is false, or whether
their profit comes from the circulation
of the falsehoods, is a matter of small
consequence. 1t is utterly impossible
to answer all of their falsehoods. When
any given falsehood is exposed they
simply repeat it and circulate an
other. If they were mistaken in the
facts, if they possessed in their makeup
any shred of honesty, it would be worth
while to set them right. But there is
no question at all as to any mistake
or misunderstanding on their part.
They state what they either know 10
be untrue or could by the slightest in
quiry find out to be the untruth.
Occasionally Willing to Deny.
''I doubt if they themselves remem-
Der their own falsehoods for more than
a very brief period, and l doubt still
more whether anybody else does. I'm
der these circumstances il seems hard
ly worth while to single out for special
mention one or two given falsehoo6s
or one particular paper. the moral
standard of which is as low as. but no
lower than, that of certain other pa
pers. OF course, now and then l am
willing to denounce a given falsehood,
as, for instance, as regards this case
of the Indianapolis News, or the case
I have quoted of the New York Sun,
simply because it appears that some
worthy people are misled OF puzzled
by the direct shamelessness of the
untruth. But, ordinarily L do not and
cannot pay heed to these falsehoods.
If / did 1 would not be able to do my
work. My plan has been to go ahead
and do the work and to let these peo-
pie and those like them yell and then
trust with abiding confidence to the
good sense of the American people in
the assured conviction that the yells
will die out, the falsehoods be forgot
ten and the work remain.
Two Kinds of Newspapers.
Therefore, as far as 1 am concerned,
would rather make no answer what
ever in this case. But have much con-
fidence in your judgment, and if you
feel that these men ought to be ex-
posed. why you are welcome to publish
this letter. There is no higher and
more honorable calling than that of
the men connected with an upright,
fearless and truthful newspaper; no
calling in which q man can render
greater service to his fellow country
men. The best and ablest editors and
writers in the daily press render a
service to the community which can
hardly be paralleled by the service rem
dered by the best and ablest men in
public life, or the men in business. But
the converse of this proposition is also
true. Most corrupt fnanciers, the
most corrupt politicians are no greater
menace to this country than the news
paper man of the type that l above
discussed. Whether they belong to the
yellow press or to the purchased press,
whatever may be the stimulating cause
of their slanderous mendacity. and
whatever the cloak it may wear, mat
tiers but little. In any event they rep
resent one of the potent forces for evil
in the community.
Yours very truly,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
William Dudley Foulke, Richmond,