Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-09-08

IN new ORR or c,nlcago az with the
horse-thief or homicide in Indian Ter
ritory. We never attacked a man be.
3ause he was man Of one political
faith or another, because he did or did
not possess wealth; and we never
shielded him because he was poor or
rich, because he belonged to any par
ticular church or to any particular
party. But ! also wish you especially
to remember that we never hesitated
to shield him and stand up for him
once we were convinced that he was
improperly attacked. There ID no
greater foe OF honesty than the man
who, for any reason, In any capacity,
attacks, or seeks to attack, an honest
man for a crime which he has not COM
mitted Falsely accusing an honest
man OF dishonesty is an act which
stands on the same level OF infamy
with that of the dishonest man him
self: and It Is no higher duty to attack
the dishonest man than it is to exoner-
ate the honest man falsely accused;
and I should be ashamed to hesitate
the fraction Of second longer In one
case than in the other.
Honesty 10 Not UnIlateraI.
Remember that honesty cannot be
unilateral Good citizens should cor
daily distrust the man who can never
see dishonesty excepting In men OF the
class he dlslikes. The reckless agi-
tator who invariably singles out men
of wealth as furnishing the only ex-
amples OF dishonesty; and the equally
unscrupulous--but no more unscrupu-
lous-reactlonary who can see dlshon-
esty only in a Matchmaking politician
or crooked labor leader; both stand
an ha araa MD ~ nhnnWfnuaNnau
You will never get honesty from poll
ticians until you exact honesty from
business men, on the other hand, you
brand yourselves as fools or as hypo-
critics II you say that the corporation
owner, or the employer. is always the
dishonest man, and the poor man
never that II is only the wealthy
man who corrupts the politician and
never the politician who blackmails
the corporation.
Any man in his senses knows that
there are plenty Of corporations In this
country who prosper by bribing legis-
latures Just as they prosper by swim
ding the public: and any man in his
senses ought TO know, in addition, that
there are plenty Of corrupt men Of
small means who. in legislative or
other bodies. try TO blackmail corpora
pie as well II they doubt this let
them look AZ the revelations Of cor.
fuption In my own state--Eew York
and IN yours, my hearerB--here n
let them look az what his
occurred in California and what has
occurred in IllinoiH. In Illinois for In
stance one OF the rascalities Developed
by the recent Investigation was the
existence Of q combination of leGisla-
tors who blackmailed fishermen along |
! certain river. forcing them 70 pay to |
prevent legislation which would have
Intsrfsred with their business.
No Distinction Of Class.
Nov. scoundrels who DO these kinds
Df things are. OF course. the very men /
who. on the one hand will blackmnil /
. corporation. 80 they get a chance
md. on the other hand. will chssrfuily
4 the chance occurs. sell themselves to
hat corporation against the Interests
n the public. Their corruption IL no
more due 20 the action Of the corpora
ions than the corruption Of the cor
,orations IL due 20 their action; and
lvil, and not good, 10 done by the hon
ist but misguided man who would per-
Iuade you that either fact IL true. Our
iuty is to war with equal sternness
lgaluHt the corrupt man Of great
wealth and the small man who makes
! trade Of corruption. our night is
.Fainat both the avindling corporation
nd the blackmAiiinE or bribe-taking
lolitician.
We cannot AFFORD to limit campaign
lEainst eorravuon 20 those who han- :