The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-09-02
THE POWER THAT BEAT HENEY.

Francis J. Heney was defeated In
the San Francisco primaries for the
nomination to the office of district
attorney-equivalent to the prosecut-
ing attorneyship. There Is q strong
dramatic meaning for the people of
every large American city in that
bare announcement.
Francis Heney has cone, and is
still engaged in, the greatest single
service performed or undertaken In
this country In recent years by any
public man excepting Theodore
Roosevelt. This a broad statement
But 1t is wen borne out by startling
disclosures of corruption brought to
light by Heney and the courageous
efforts he has put for'r - punish it.
AS long as Mr.. Heney's prosesu-
tons were centered against the moro
familiar forms of graft and directed
against the ordinary class of poll
ticians he had a practically undivided
public sentiment behind him. He en-
countered then no other opposition
than that offered by lawyers for the
defendants, and by judges who owed
their selection to the grating ma
chine. Then the prosecution expanded
and gained momentum. 1t reached
after the men higher up, and the trail
went straight to the street railway
corporation, the gas and telephone
companies, and other allied public
service corporations.
Jbtt7 80
Right there "a change came
over the spirit Of things In San Fran
cisco, Gradually and almost imper-
ceptibly at first. sinister shodows be-
gan to creep out from the heart of
the corrupting system and spread
over the people of the city. Gaining
in strength the money influence,
acting through the corporation hold
ing the street railway franchises OF
the people, created a clamor for the
cessation OF a prosecution which
was "injuring the fair name Of san
Francisco" and driving capital away.
What that cry was raised to accom-.
plish was to save the head of the
street railway company from the dan
ger OF the penitentiary and to save
the vested interests of corrupt fran
chise users from the loss of illegiti-
mate spoils.,
lleney had displayed the qualities
of the most indomitable, most in
corruptible of fighters. He had to be
stopped. The endangered street rail-
way corporation was able to call to
its aid most of the banks, all the
public service corporations, and the
Southern Pacifcs vast machine. The
fight of this combination was center
ed on the fearless fighter of the
system. More and more respectable
men engaged in Big Business and
the stockholders in pubic service
corporations were beguiled by the
counsel that the agitation had gone
far enough" Discredited POLITICAL
leaders and the baser sort Of labor
agitators We're encouraged to come
out of retirement and join with the
Eminent Respectables" who want to
keep out Of jail.
DO not believe that all this was ac-
complished openly and that the line
was clearly drawn. Corporations that
corrupt policies and public sentiment
for franchise-grabbing and the like
do not work that way. The methods
of the System" are bold only In
dealing with the underworld. In
reaching the people they are subtle.
BY indirection, by false plea, by
approaching" or by putting" the
screws" to this and the other person
or institution or group-by all these
means goes forth the power of cor
porate corruption. Also, many good
men become wearied in the fight
which drags over successive years,
through the laws delay. s
But Heneys work is not lost.
What's done cannot be undone.v
The power OF public service cor
porations, intrenched behind monop-
oily franchises, has been tested, and
has been proved truly formidable.
But the people throughout the land
and In all great cities can now the
better estimate and appreciate the
power which their own apathy can
create. They are in infinitely better
position to realize their duty TO them.
selves, which is not to let that power
dominate them and future genera
tions. Heney, refused a nomination
TO an Office he has shed such luster
on, Is not defeated.San Francisco
temporarily is defeated. But the peo,
PIE there ana elsewhere have enlist
ed for the war, and not for one battle
only. The fight for the Square Deal
goes on, and can never end but with
victory-Kansas City Star.