Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-06-03

there will be some such reaction as a
scaling of values, but those have oc-
Cured from time to time and have
been followed by recovery.
There is as much opportunity now
for individual success in business as
ever and success comes from intelli-
gent industry.
Raps Jealous Lawyers.
The president criticised lawyers
who, in their eagerness for their
clients interests, especially in Grim
inal cause, forget they are officers Of
the law and resort to methods that
have much to do with the disgraceful
condition Of the administration of JUS
tice. He expressed the opinion the
only escape from these evil tendencies
was for tn 'bar to cleanse itself of
those who in the interest of their
clients forget their obligation as at
torneys to the court and their duties
as citizens"
Ethics OF Journalism.
The president gave much attention
to Journalism. A few newspaper
proprietors, he said, have such pat
ronage as to enable them to make
their newspapers that which they
think a newspaper ought to be and
they are obliged to consult that
which they regard as the public
taste and the public desire.
while the editor accepts the po-
sition of instructor of the public
focto continued 4ba praSidapf Sand
ought to exercise that function with
more constancy and courage than
he usually does, the limitations
that there are upon him by reason
of the public demand, those of us
who would criticize the press hardly
appreciate.
Need for HIghmInded.
Certainly journalism is a profess
sion in which men of discriminating
intelligence, high courage, accurate
judgment, of love of truth and real
patriotism can find a sphere of use
fulness unexcelled in any other, and
such men are needed, for if the stan
dards set by some of the most sue
cessful of newspapers in the lack
of truth, in coarseness and unfair
uCOo VI SAAIAC1oL1 dlC AOL
in the next generation it will vindi-
cate the pessimists of today.
Natural Aftermath.
'T refer to the class Of newspapers
and magazines that are properly crit
icized as 'muckrakers' that rely for
their circulation on vicious and un-
founded attacks upon honesty and
upright character and patriotic mo-
tives of men in public life and upon
those conspicuous and prominent So
cially. This Undertaking is the out
growth and probably unavoidable af-
termath of laudable and necessary
attacks upon abuses which had
shown themselves in the form of
corporate greed and control of poll
itics. 1t was necessary to have a
housecleaning in this regard and
Roosevelt led the movement and
much has been accomplished in clar-
flying business and political methods.
In doing this he was himself fore
most to denounce those who took
advantage of the general condition of
popular suspicion and filled their
purses by unfounded attacks upon
men in public Office struggling con-
scientiously to do their duty.
Public Cease to Pay for II.
But this Undertaking episode
will pass. Indeed. l hope it is pass
ing and for the best of reasons be-
cause the people are beginning to
see what it really is and are refus-
ing to be influenced by it and thus
are not making the contributions to
the purses of the muckrakers which
is their only motive for continuing
their business