New-York tribune., 1908-02-26
AN ERA OF CONSCIENCE.
Gorernor Folk Traces Its EUolut'on
BEFORE CiUic Forum.

,--o.r,, rr,,,, NJ MISSOURI at the Civic Forum
meeting in Carnegie Hall, last nght III 'i"O"7
the evolution of conscience among the peopir 60
it's bes1nnfng as six years To the charges o.
tyranny made against him by the laWpredhei' "
Missouri ne hurled the epigram. Liberty 10 iiaA'
laws is not license to break them.
In telling of the success attending MS eIof'S ~, =,
s+op racetTack gambling he said he was met with
tbe same statement made by the horsenen here e.
that IT would iniure the breed of horses Lake Gov
ernor Hughes he said he had answered thepi .n'
It was more important to preserve the pfeeo vi
To the charge that the exposure of wronsdoins
in business was injuring business, he SAID .ia'
civic disease can no more be cured than can phys-
ical disease by hiding 1t. and when ne iua"e I"
warmly eulogfstic reference to the Presdents uii-
swerving course in exposing corruption tilere weio
prolonged cheers. Throughout bis address ne was
listened 10 with careful attention and frequently
applauded.
Ex-Justice Morgan j. OBrien introduced the Gov
ernor in am address apprecatve OF his work In the
Western state. The Governor Immediately plunged
into lis address, the subject Of which was lhe
Era of Conscience" He said:
What a remarkable change has over the
American people during the last six years. Things
dozen years ago were submitted in silence. Then
bribery was the common and accepted thing an
majority of officials took bribes. but it was gen
orally regarded either with indifference or despair
Men gave bribes and thought nothing OF ~ men
accepted bribes and boasted of the fact legislative
science of the people was asleep: Then came the
revelations, and the people awoke to realization
of the fact that government can long exist where
disc. ei'' avis ''''' - '''S - ~'i1
1t has not been long since it common idea
that directors Of corporations were privesed 70 90
lawless things that individuals they would not
kened to the fact that corporation consists mere
state The corporation these individuals conduct
is no better or worse than the individuals compos-
ing the corporation. The people are oesinnlns 10
know that contempt for law is no less repreheIls-
BILE when plotted over a directors table than when
shouted under red flag at an anarchists meet
ing, and they frequently stand related cause
and effect. Corporations have been too often used
masks to conceal the crimes of individuals me
era of conscience demands the same standard or
morality for corporations as is required OF the in
The liquor traffic affords another striking illus.
many years ago the saloons felt themselves above
law they deasd the authorities Of the city or staIe
that they OBEY the law like any nv one else sHG @
at the next election with one more subseryent t to
h % BUSINESS T Insy acsyon nf~ to- aW on hey viii not be
allowed to do business at all. In places where
I na sRSs sHs to sp az issy
some places the lesson has been taught thoroughly
The e. man who says that the depression in tbs
gues there can be no such thing as honest pros.
perity, and that the prosperity we had was @ tnat
accurate @ to Charge depression to the crooks rather
rests on 0 wrengdoing IS not the right kind Of
perty If the country had to choose between great
prosperity coupled with crookedness ana less pros
perity and more honesty, it would undoubtedly
The only way TO stop evil. either public pr-
vate is to turn on the light and let the people
know who the rascals are. Publicity is the best
remedy for civic wrongs. for through publicity the
plblic conscience is aroused, and the remedy for
maiefactors Of every kind after all is in the con,
be filled with gdoers. but If the people Were in
different evil would go on just the same. On the
other hand very few violators of law of high de-
gree might wear stripes. yet if the people are
aroused wrongdoing can be ended BY the N mighty
tional conscience clean the national life must be
clean.