Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-02-12
fsTFed to in the accompanying coInmuni
cations from the Standard Oil compant,

ferred to in the accompanying coinmun;
cations from the Standard Oil compank,
and the Santa Fe railroad for having
| imposed heavy fines on these two cor
porations; and yet these same critiis
of these two judges exhaust themselves
| in denouncing the most respectful and
cautious discussion of the official action
| of Judge which results in immunity
to wealthy and powerful wrongdoers,
or which renders nugatorv temperate
| effort TO better the conditions to life
and work among those of our fellow
conntEymen whose need is greater.
:" Most certainly it behooves us all to
treat with the utmost respect the high
Office of Judge; and our judges, as a
whole, are brave and upright men.
A judge who on the bench either
truckles to the mob and shrinks from
sternly depressing violence and disorder,
or bows down before corporation; who
fails to stand up valantly for the rights
| of property on the one hand, or on the
other by misuse of the process of in.
| junction or by his attitude toward all
measures for the betterment of the con.
dition of labor, makes the wageworkel
feel with bitterness that the courts are
hostile to him; or who fails to realize
that all public servants in their several
stations mist strive to stop the abuses
| of the criminal rich-such a man per
| forms an even worse service to the body
| polite than the legislator or executive
who goes wrong.
Not Above Criticism.
The judge who does his full duty well
| stands higher and renders better serv-
ice to the people than any other public
servant; he is entitled to greater respect
and if he is true servant of the people,
if ne is upright, wise and fearless, he
will unhesitatingly disregard even the
wishes of the people if they conflict
with the eternal principles of right as
against wrong. He must serve the PEG.
/, Pile; but he must serve his own con
science first. All honor to such Judge;
and all honor cannot be rendered him if
it is rendered equally to his brethren
who fall immeasureably below the high
ideals for which he stands.
Untruthful criticism is wicked at all
times, and whoever may be the object;
but it is n peculiarly fragrant iniquity
when a judge is the object. No man
should lightly cri.icise Judge; no man
should, even in his own mind. condemn
judge unless he is sure of the facts
If judge is assailed for standing
against popular folly, and above all for
standing against mob violence, all hon.
orable men should rally instantly to his
support. Nevertheless if he clearly fai1
to do his duty by the public IN dealing
with lawbreaking corporations, law
breaking men of wealth, he must expect
to feel the weight of public opinion;
and this is but right, for except in ex-
IRENE cases this is the only way in
which he can be reached at all. No
servant of the people has a right to ex-
pect to be free from just and honest
| criticism.
Must Keep u Fight.
The opponents of the measures we
champion single out now one and now
another measure for especial attack and
speak as ii the movement in which we
are engaged was purely economic. 1t
has large economic side, but it is fund.
amentally an ethical movement. 1t is
not movement to be completed in one
year, or two or three years; it is mDve-
mcnt which must be persevered in until
the spirit which lies behind it sinks
deep into the heart and the conscience
of the whole people. 1t is always i'm
portant to choose the right means to
achieve our purpose, but it is even more
important to keep this purpose. clearly
before us and this purpose is to secure
national honesty in business and in
politics. We do not subscribe to the
cynical belief that dishonesty and I'M
fair dealing are essential to business
success, and are to be condoned when
the success is moderate and applauded
when the success is great. The meth
DDS by. which the Standard Oil people
| and those engaged in the other combina-
tions of which | have spoken above
have achieved great fortunes can only
be justified by the advocacy of sys
TEN of morality which would also Just
ify 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 stuff
ing, in politics.
we are trying to secure equality OF
opportunity for all; and the struggle of
honesty is the same whether it is made
on behalf of one set of men or of an
other. In the interest of the small set
tiers and landowners, and against the
embittered opposition of wealthy own
ers of huge wandering focks 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 pro-
test against the action of all men,
whether in public life of private life,
who either take part in or refuse to
try to stop such theft, we are really en-
gagged in the same policy as when we en-
deayor to put stop to rebates or to
prevent the upgrowth of uncontrolled
monopolies. Our effort is simply 10 en-
force the principles of common honesty
and common sense. 1t would indeed be
ill for the country should there be any
halt in our work.
mo Backward Steps,
"The extraordinary growth of mod
ern ndustrialism has rendered the com
mon law, which grew up under and was
adapted to deal with totally different
conditions, in many respects inadequate
to deal with the new conditions. These
| new conditions make it necessary to
shackle cunning as in the past we have
shackled force. The vast individual
and corporate fortunes, the vast COM
binations of capital, which have marked
the development of our industrial sys-
TEN, create new conditions, and neces-
sitate a change from the old attitude
of the state and the nation toward the
rules regulating the acquisition and I'M
trammeled business use of property, in
| order both that property may be ade-
quately protected, and that at the same
time those who hold it may be pre-
vented from wrongdoing.
| The second and third courses are to
! have the regulation undertaken either
by the nation or by the states. Of
course, in any event both the national
government and the several state gov
ernments must do each it's part, and
each can do certain amount that the
other can not do, while the only really
| satisfactory results must be obtained
by the representatives of the national
and state governments working heartily
together within their respective spheres.
Need Federal Action.