Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-07

gestfon Of the false to the lie direct.
Those who write or procure others to
write these articles are engaged in the
practice of mendacity for hire. and surely
there can be no lower form of gaining
livelihood
Whether they are paid by outsiders
to say what is false or whether their
profit comes from the circulation Of the
falsehoods is a. matter of small conse-
quence. 1t is utterly impossible to at
tempt 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. 1t would be worth while
to set them right. But there is no question
at all as to any mistake or misunder-
standing on their part. They state what
they either know to be untrue or could
by the slightest inquiry find out to be UNI
true
Il doubt If they themselves remember
their own falsehoods for more than
very brief period; and I doubt still more
whether anybody else does. Under these
circumstances it seems hardly worth
while to single out for special mention
one or two given falsehoods or one par
ticular paper the moral standard of
which is as low as, but no lower than,
that Of certain other papers.
Il
to denounce a given falsehood: as. for in
stance, as regards this case Of the In
dianapolis News or the case / have quoted
of the New York Sun, simply because 1t
appears that some worthy people are
msled or puzzled by the direct shame
lessness 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.
Would Rather Keep Silent.
My plan has been to go ahead to do
the work. and to let these people, and
those like them. yell; and then to 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 forgotten and the work
remain.
Therefore. SO far as l am concerned.
l would rather make no answer whatever
in this case. But l have much conf
dence in your Judgment and il you feel
why you are welcome to publish this let
ter. There is no higher and more hon
orable calling than that of the men con-
nected with upright, fearless. and
truthful newspaper; no calling in which
man can render greater service to his
ellow-countrymen.
THE best and ablest editors and writ
ers in the daily press render a service
to the community which can hardly be
paralleled by the service rendered by the
best and ablest of the men in public life
or of the men in business.
But the converse of this proposition
is also true. The most corrupt finan-
cierS, the most corrupt politicians, are no
greater menace to this country than the
newspaper men of the type 1 have 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 what
ever the cloak it may wear, matters but
little In any event they represent one
of the potent forces for evil in the COM
munity
Your very truly.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
William Dudley FOulke,
Richmond. Ind
Delavan Smith Will Reply.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, December T.
Delavan Smith left Chicago at 2:3O
o'clock yesterday for New York. He
was shown a copy of the letter of
President Roosevelt. while on the train,
and made the following reply:
1.-The Presidents comments on the
Panama editorial are based on state
ments made by prominent New York
paper. not the New York Sun, which
the Indianapolis News printed at the
same time. with many other papers.
giving full credit to the source from
which they obtained it. In making the
editorial comment to which the Presi-
dent takes exception, the editor of the
News credited its information to the
New York paper making the charge
and distinctly disclaimed any RESPONSE
bility for it's accuracy.
This editorial was published in the
ordinary course of the daily routine of
the editorial department at a time when
was absent from indianapolis. and
therefore could not have been inspired
by any personal motive.
During the campaign, information
reached me that Mr.. Foulke had in his
possession a letter of the nature of the
one now made public, and 1 was fur
Their informed that it was left by the
whether the letter should be used in
the campaign. When this information
reached me I at once telephOned Mr..
Foulke extending to him the use of the
columns of the News for this purpose,
but Mr.. Foulke did not see fit to avail
himself of the opportunity during the
campaign. So much for the personal
criticism of me by the President.
1.-The News will deal editorially with
the Presidents explanation in due
time
Mr.. Laffan Cannot Take Notice.
NEW YORK, December 1.-THE Sun to-
day prints the following editorial:
The editor of the Sun presents his COM
pliments to Mr.. Roosevelt and acknow-
lodges his active sensibility in respect of
the attention which Mr.. Roosevelt has
been good enough to pay him in his letter
to the Hon. William Dudley Foulke of
Indiana.