Woodruff County news. [volume] (McCrory, Ark.) 1901-1910, 1908-02-06

ment to frown on dishonesty. We at
tack only corrupt men of wealth, who
find in the purchased politician the most
efficient instrument of corruption and in
the purchased newspaper the most eff
quarrel is not with these agents and
representatives of the interests. They
derive their chief power from the great
sinister offenders who stand behind
as the strings are pulled. 1t is not the
puppets, but the. strong cunning men
behind and through the puppets, with
whom we have to deal. We seek to con-
troll law-defying wealth; in the first place
to prevent its doing dire evil to the
the vindictive and dreadful radicalism
which, if left uncontrolled, it is certain
in the end to arouse"
Big Corporations Are Hit.
to the Standard Oil trouble of a short
methods of the Rockefeller syndicate to
'overawe common carriers, crush out
every competitor and look down upon the
people with contempt which the public
deserves as long as it permits such men
to act with impunty." 1t was at that
point and in connection with the insur-
ance and Chicago & Alton scandals that
Mr.. Roosevelt took the heaviest fall out
of wealthy corporations which have been
held to account by the government. The
message continued:
the effort to secure honesty in business
and in politics is well expressed in bra
zen protests against any effort for the
moral regeneration of the business world,
on the ground that it is unnatural, I'M
warranted and injurious, and that bust
ness panic is the necessary penalty for
The morality of such plea is precisely
as great if made on behalf of the
men caught in a gambling establishment
when that gambling establishment is
raided by the police. If such words mean
anything they mean that those
whose sentiments they represent
about moral regeneration of business
which will prevent repetition of the in
surance, banking and street railroad
scandals in New York a repetition of
the Chicago & Alton deal; a repetition
of the combination between certain pro-
tessional politicians certain professional
labor leaders, and certain big financiers,
from the disgrace of which San Francis
co has just been rescued; a repetition
of the successful effort by the Standard
Oil people to crush out every competitor,
to overawe the common carriers, and to
establish monopoly which treats the
public with a contempt which the public
such principles and such sentiments to
avow and act them with impunity:
The .outcry against stopping dishonest
pen to be wealthy is precisely similar
to the outcry raised against every effort
for cleanliness and decency in city gov
SlHihent, BECAUSE lorsooti' II VIII NUT
Tells of critlcising Judges.
"Our opponents have recently been bit
terly criticising the two Judges referred
to in the accompanying communications
from the Standard Oil Company and the
heavy fines on these two corporations;
and yet these same critics of these two
judges exhaust themselves in denounc-
ing the most respectful and cautious
discussion of the official action of a judge
which results in immunity to wealthy
and powerful wrongdoers Most certain
utmost respect the high office of Judge;
and our judges, as whole, are brave
and upright men. Respect for the law
must go hand in hand with respect for
the judges; and, as a whole, 1t is true
now as in the past that the judges stand
in character and service above all other
public. The judge who does his full
duty well stands higher and renders
better service to the people. than any
greater respect and if he is a true ser
want of the people, if he is upright. wise
and fearless, he will unhesttatingly dis
ciples of right as against wrong. He
must serve the people; but he must
serve his own conscience first. All honor
to such a Judge; and all honor can not
be rendered him If 1t is rendered equally
to his brethren who fall immeasurably
stands. Untruthful criticism is wicked at
all times, and whoever may be the OBJ
iect; but 1t is peculiarly fragrant in
iquity when a Judge is the object. No
man should lightly criticise a judge; no
man should even In his own mind con-
denim judge unless he Is sure of the
facts. If a judge is assailed for stand
ing against popular folly, and above all
for standing against mob violence, all
honorable men should rally instantly TO
his support Nevertheless if he clearly
fails to do his duty by the public in
dealing with lawbreaking corporations.
lawbreaking men of wealth. he must ex-
pect to feel the weight of public opin-
ion: and this is but right, for except in
extreme cases this is the only way in
which he can be reached at all. No SER
want of the people has a right to expect
to be free from just and honest criticism.
IAN Ethical Movement"
1.-THE opponents of the measures we
champion single out now one and now
another measure for especial attack: and
speak as if the movement in which we
are engaged was purely economic. 1t has
a large economic side, but it is funda-
mentally an ethical movement. 1t is not
a movement to be completed in one year,
or two years or three years; it is
movement which must be persevered in
until the spirit which lies behind it sinks
of the whole people, 1t is always i'm
portant to choose the right means to
achieve our purpose put +r IL is ,,r even
clearly before us and this purpose is
70 secure national honesty in business
and in politics We do not subscribe to
the cynical belief that dishonesty and
unfair dealing are essential to business
success. and are to be condoned when the
success is moderate and applauded when
the success is great. The methods by
which the Standard Oil people and those
engaged in the other combinations OF
which l have spoken above have
achieved great fortunes can only be JUS
titled by the advocacy of a system of
morality which would also justify every
form of criminality on the part of
labor union. and every form of violence,
corruption, and fraud, from murder to
bribery and ballot-boX stuffing in poll
ties We are trying to secure equality
of opportunity for all; and the struggle
for honesty is the same whether it is
made on behalf of one set of men or of
another In the interest of the small
settlers and landowners. and against the
embittered opposition of wealthy owners
of huge wandering fiocks of sheep, or of
corporations desiring to rob the people
of coal and timber, we strive to put an
end to the theft of public land in the
west When we do this, and protest
against the action of all men,, whether
i'm public life or in private life, who
either take part in or refuse to try to
stop such theft we are really engaged
in the same policy as when we endeavor
to put a stop TO rebates or to prevent
the upgrowth of uncontrolled monopolies.
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