Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-01
DRAWS LESSON FROM
BAY CITY'S SHAME
SACRAMENTO MERcHANT TALKS
TO CITY CLUB
Danger to Republic Lies in Spirit
which Would Condemn Motives
of Prosecutors of
Boodlers

Harris Weinstock of Sacramento ad-
dressed the City club yesterday on the
San Francisco graft cases.
Having shown as a preliminary that
in no case has an entire municipal ad-
ministration been SO deeply inVolVed
as that of the Schmitz-Ruef regime,
Mr.. Weinstock continued:
''There never was case OF such
magniture where private citizens We're
sufficiently Interested or suttlclentiy
public spirited to be willing to dig
down in their private purses to the
tune of a hundred thousand dollars or
more in order to do what the state
should do, but which the state makes
no provision to do, that is to create
provision fund of large proportions to
meet Just such contingencies as the
one now presented by the city of San
Francisco.
An Absorbing Drama
THE magnitude OF the political cor
ruption. its brazen character, its un-
interrupted flourishing condition for
stretch of several years, its all en-
bracing character among municipal
officeholders, the big names involved
among private citizenship, the remark
able character, the ability and the un-
tiring and determined spirit of the pub
of private citizenship standing behind
and supporting the prosecution, the
bitterness with which the legal battles
are being fought, the attitude for and
against the prosecution taken by the
people of San Francisco, the deep
widespread and unabating interest
shown in the progress Of the prosecu-
tion by the people of the nation, make
the situation one of the most unique,
remarkable and absorbing political
dramas ever presented by or to the
American people
''The saddest thing about the unfor-
tunate spectacle furnished by the great
city of San Francisco is the picture of
presumably good citizens and decent
men, many of them belonging to the
higher walks in life, condoning the
recent bribe- giving and condemning
the prosecution because the bribe-
givers happen to be men who have
large bank accounts, wear good clothes.
are members of fashionable clubs, show
evidences of good breeding and move
in so-called select society.
Less Susceptible
These very blessings and advan-
tages should make of them higher and
better types of American citizenship
and less susceptible to the temptation
of becoming corrupters OF public Of
ticials.
'tThe sad thing about the many mis-
fortunes to which San Francisco has
in recent years been subjected is its
low moral tone, where one should
rightfully look for the highest ethical
spirit.
THE sad thing is to see those ranked
among the respectable finding excuses
for rich criminals, striving to soften
their crimes and so to speak throwing
bricks at those who, at great personal
sacrifice, are earnestly striving to do
their duty as citizens and as public
officials in bringing to justice those
guilty of high civic crimes.
what is to become of our youth,
and, in time, of our republic, If the
crimes of the rich, because they are
rich, are to be handled with gloves and
those prosecuting them held up to
scorn and to condemnation?
IF this spirit is to prevail must it
not be plain that our youth cannot
but become imbued with the thought
that the only modern crime is pow
erty, that wealth covers a multitude
of sins and that the chief ambition
must be to get wealth-honestly, if
possible, but in any event. to get
wealth?
Spirit of Respectabes
III the Spirit OF lne reSpeclHDleSi
fighting and condemning the graft
prosecution, is to become the common
spirit then must we bid farewell to
civic virtues, farewell to public moral
ity, farewell to good government and
in time farewell to our republican in
stitutions and to civic liberty.
Under a democratic form of gov
ernment with manhood suffrage it is
inevitable, especially in larger cities,
that weak or vicious men will fire.
quently be elected to public office.
'If such officials are to be met by
rich corruptionists. and between them
permitted to loot the public treasury
and to barter away the rights of the
people; if when these rich criminals
are discovered and brought to justice
maIdlin sentiment or the fear of
private less should prompt an army
of presumable respectables to howl
about the ears of the public prosecu-
tion and endeavor to cripple its infiu-
ence by charging it with base and sell
fish motives. the hope of good govern
ment must be a thing of the past"