The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-02-26
Blakeley and His
Friends

''n'' learns something about the
-, :, meaning of friendship be-
lore he gets very far with his public work.
District Attorney VIM. A. Blakeey of Pittsburg said
something the other day and wish all honest citizens
could grasp the significance of it, This is what he said
II am going to lose all the friends had, but Pitts
burg will be clean when | get through
Some people probably didn't much meaning in that
statement when it made That because they had
never made the sacrifice. They think they have friends
so many it would be hard to count them They haven't
learned that man San count his true unsefsh friends
his fingers-even though he be a armed man.
Blakeey had started out to prosecute the grafers in
Pittsburg He had got just far enough find that
ardy friends fall away from brave when that
has to hit hard at influential citizens in order protect the
rights of the masses.
For the biggest and dangerous grafters are gener
ally men who are socially and financially powerful.
But Blakeey will learn than he has learned. He
will lose his riendsnot all of them possibly but most of
them And he'll be glad to lose them when he finds
what kind of friends they are
Every of ability has friends in plenty long as he
is good fellow and doesn't tramp on the of Priv
lege Many of them will pat him the back long he
can be of service to them Let him use his ability, however,
for the benefit Of the whole public and his friends will
gradually fade away.
This hurts-at first One doesn't like to lose friends
And hurts to realize that ones friends don t up
to the mark 1t hurts to sesness master whom
considered friend For that what happens-those
friends fear the loss of something by sticking who
has the courage to battle for human Justice
But the honest who loses friends by being the
square with all of humanity doesn't lose anything worth
having Every time he loses false friend he gains and
grows.
He learn, too to feel that he is making thousands of
true and honest friends whom he meet know
For he will grow and to respect himself he
sheds his selfish friends and finds himself working out of
circle and into harmonious relation with the entire
human family And when he knows that he deserves the
friendship Of all honest he II feel that he has it. Then
he be happy.
Throwing off selfish friends is throwing off dead weight
getting rid of burden You're working toward free
dom.
Some are slaves of their friends. The only friends
worth having those who love You enough to want you
10 d. Ioc+
there is in you.
If Blakley has gathered unto himself in all his lifetime
true honest friend who wants Bakeley to be Baeey
and to become useful member Of society Blakeey
genius will permit-why, then Blakeey has done well.
And that friend will delight in Blakeeys strenuous work
in the of justice There such friends in the world
If Bakeley hasn't found them, it time he shedding
thos he has and getting in touch with REAL MEN and
TRUE FRIENDS.
Anyhow any who is true to himself and humanity
will have friend at least-himsef man may fool his
family his friends and the public but he can fool himself
He can't get away from himesf SO he might better so
conduct his life that he always know that when sleep
ing alone he is in bed with an honest man.