Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-08

have called to my attention these
editorials of the Indianapolis News.
! never see an editorial in any one
Of these or similar papers unless Ior
some reason 1t Is sent to me by you
or by someone else; and OF the editor
ials thus sent me there is hardly one
which does not contain some wlllfui
and deliberate perversiOn OF the truth.
For example, | have just made pubic
the following statement concerning
a tissue of utterly false statements
which appeared in Mr.. Laffans paper
the New York Sun.
, False From Beginning to End
| "As soon as the story was Droueht
to President RoOsevelts attention ne
not only called for reports concern
ing the statements from the Depart
ment OF Justice and the Department
OF the Interior. but also communicate
ed with ex-Secretary Hitchcock so as to
he sure that the Presidents recoll"c
ton was not at fault The story Is
false in every particular from begin
ming to end. Not only is there no
' such report in the Department OF
Justice, and never has l"en. but no
such report was ever made. In grant
ing the franchise of the Prairi" on
anO Gas Company the President SNIP
" approved the recommendation OF
Secretary Hitchcock. submitted to
him precisely as all other recommeh'
dations were submitted Moreover. IN
every case referring to the granting
of franchises or the adoption OF r"si-
lations as regards oil and gas iran
chises in Oklahoma and the Indian
Territory, the President approved the
recommendation OF Secretary Hitch
cock with the exception OF one small
and unimportant grant to Delaware
Indian. to whom the Delaware In
dams. in recognition OF eight years
of service to the tribe. had voted IN
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 alleged promise
to a Western Senator is as ridiculous
a falsehood as the rest OF the story
ITO the Lie Direct"
The fact is that these particular
newspapers habitually and continually
and as matter OF business practice
every form of mendacity known to
HtdH, lItIil tLt SHPpiN 's'.'h W
truth and the suggestion OF the false
to the lie direct. Those who write
or procure others 10 write these ar
ticles are engaged in the practice OF
mendacity for hire. and surely there
can be no lower form of gaining a
livelihood Whether thew are paid by
outsiders to say what is false. or
whether their profit comes from the
circulation Of the falsehoodS is mat
ter OF small consequence. Ii is utter
" impossible to answer all OF their
falsehoods. When any given false
hood is exposed they c!mply repeat
1t and circulate another. II they
were mistaken in the facts. If they
posse ssed 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 TO
be untrue or could by the slightest
inquiry find out to be untrue.
"And Let them Yeii."
doubt if they themselves remem-
Der their own falsehoOds for more
than a very brief period. and ! doubt
still more whether anybody else does
Under these circumstances II seems
hardly worth while to single out for
spec'a! mention one or two given
falsehoodS or one particular paper
the moral standard Of which is as low
as. but no lower than. that OF certain
other papers. OF course, now ana
then I am willing TO denouIce Civ
en- falsehood as. for instance. as re-
CARDS this case OF the Indianapolis
News or the case | have quoted CT
the New York Sun, simply because II
appears that some WORTHY people are
misled or puzzled by the direct shame
lessness of the untruth. But Ordinar-
ily I do not and cannot pay heed 10
these falsehoods. II I did, l would
not be able to do my work. My plan
has been to go ahead and do the work
and 70 let these people and those like
them yell. and then to trust with
abiding confidence 20 the good sense
Of the American people in the assured
conviction that the wells win de out.
the falsehoods be forgotten and the
work remain.
Therefore, as far as am concerned
III would rather make no answer
whatever in this case But I have
much confidence in your judgment.
and If YOU feel that these men ought
to be exposed. why. yoI ar" 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 news
paper. no calling in which a man can
render greater service TO his fellow
CountrymPn. Tn. best and ablest ed
itors and writer's in IN" daily press
render a service 10 the community
, which can hardly he paralleled BY
the service rendered by the best and
ahlest Of the men m public life or OF
the men in business. But III" con
verse OF this proposition l. also true.
The most corrupt financiers. the most
cOrrup, pOliti~janS are no greater