The Idaho scimitar. [volume] (Boise, Idaho) 1907-1908, 1908-02-08
THE IDAHO SCIMITAR.

The President explained that wealth not the
object of the attacks of the administration. 1t was
the corrupt men of wealth, "who find in the pur-
chased politician the most efficient instrument of cor
ruption and in the purchased newspaper the most
efficient defender of corruption"
Certain it is that influences for evil-purchased
politicians and purchased newspapers-seek to cast
upon the advocates of right the consequences OF
their own wrong doing after decency has reco1led
from a portrayal of the sins of the influences Tor
evil
Law defying wealth charges its presidential &C
cuser with depreciating values with disturbing bust
ness, with producing financial Distress though it is
only the exposure of its unlawful methods that
embarasses the people and brings suffering to the
unfortunate. Said Mr.. Roosevelt:
Corrupt business and corrupt politics act and re-
act with ever increasing debaSement, one on the
other the corrupt head of corporation and the
corrupt labor leader are both i'll the same degree the
enemies of honest corporations and honest LABOR
unions: the rebate taker, the franchise traftcker
the manipulation of securities, the purveyor and pro
tector of vice. the Matchmaking ward boss, the bal
lot box suffer, the demagogue the mob leader t l
hired bully, and man killer-all alike work at the
same web of corruption, and all alike should be abb
horred by honest men.
The business" which is hurt by the movement
for honesty is the kind of business which, IN the
long run, it pays the country to have hurt
broad field of national endeavor within the more
circumscrbed limits of state. The forces that are
promoting and conducting the conflict against vice IN
Idaho encounter the same complaints, allegations
and charges that are hurled upon the national re-
former at Washington
It is here said that the state is being injured by
exposure of the greatest crime of the age Yet the
crime is here and to noursh it in silence is to store
away increasing trouble for the adjudication OF the
future In the words of President Roosevelt the
business which is hurt by the movement for honesty
is the kind of business which, in the long run, 1t
pays the country to have hurt"
Mr.. Roosevets special message will be com
mended and condemned. In a large measure 1t Will
meet with popular applause, for the mass OF the
people agree with him and will appreciate the SUD
lime courage with which he performs his oflcla
d,,ties From high places in financial and poltica
and corporation circles he will be mercessy aSsaee
The leaders in his own party will fail to sustain
him. and many of them will protest against the doc
trine to which he has given emphasis
Without delay the intellectual mouthp1ece OF pred
atorv wealth, the subsidized defender of the inter
ests, Chancellor Day of Syracuse, has spoken ane
this is what he said:
Of the Presidents message, if I entirely homes
and frank I am compelled to say that much OF II
reads like the rawlings OF a dsordered m1nd ino
other portions, in which appeal IS made 10 GAS
prejudice and excitement, is large with the suggeS
ton of the adroit and cunning, the shrewd but reck
less demagogue.
There was more of the same Sort Tor the chan
ceor is given to details and likes to prove theory
by argument William J. Bryan has likewise eX-
dressed his opinion of the message and he was kline
enough to say of the effort of party enemy
It is a brave message and needed at this time Al
friends If reform have reason to rejoice that the
President has used his high position to call attention
to the wrongs that need to be remeded He has
discovered the running in our national lie, ne
has nointed out the corrupting influences that tol