Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-03-29
VEHAL EDITOR
WORSE THAN
THIEF
ROOSEVELT DEN0UNCES
UNDERTAKING JOURNAL
Shaping of Public Opinion and
Ninth Commandment Text of
Vigorous Talk By Colonel Be-
fore California University
tBy Morning journal Special Leased wIreI

iBy Morning journal Special Leased wireI
Berkley, Cal, March 2S.-Theodore
Roosevelt concluded his series of Earl
lectures here this afternoon with a
ringing condemnation of those news
papers and magazines-the "Ananias
muckiakers" he termed them-that
"misrepresent and discredit honest
public servants, with the result that
the mind of the public is so confused
that IT is unable to distinguish the hon
est from the dishonest" Another
great crowd occupied every available
inch of space in the big Greek theater
of the University Of California, heard
the lecture, the text of which was The
Shaping of Public Opinion and the
Ninth Commandment.
President Wheeler of the University
in introducing him called for an eX-
preston of opinion from the audience
as TO whether 'it had been glad to
have Colonel Roosevelt" If So he told
the big crowd to raise your right
hand and say eye" Instantly the
audience was on its feet with tremen-
dous cheer of affirmation.
The public man" said Colonel
Roosevelt, occupies a very important
and responsible position; but in a
country like ours, where public opinion
prevails so paramountly, the public
man does not occupy nearly so import
ant position us he that moulds public
opinion The cardinal sin of a public
man is theft; the cardinal sin of the
moulder OF opinion is mendacity. i
abhor the thief but | abhor even more
the assassin of character, he that tries
to destroy the publie's faith in the
honesty of the man who rightfuliy
should be where he is"
Citing the diverse of that declara-
tion, the colonel declared that the
newspaper man or magazine writer
that sustalus the crook. shares the
crooks guilt" But the honest man
that is fit for public life, the speaker
thought. should have a fairly Thick
skin ard be capable of viewing with
grim contempt the accusations of those
that made a living out of medacity
There's a type of medicine" the
colonel went on, "a type that is hardly
fair to call Undertaking, because GER
tain undertaking magazines have per-
formed splendid public service--a type
which may be designated as 'Ananias
muckrakers. than which no Influence
can play more contemplate part.
No convicted alderman or disgraced
publc man doing time in penitentiary
is baser than this type of magazine
which purveys disgraceful accusations
against honest men whom they know to
be true to their principles" The dan
ger of such magazines, he said, lies in
confusing the public mind, and If once
you get the public thinking all public
men are pretty much alike, there is
great danger in running American citi-
zenship.
THE man who poisons the public
mind" he asserted, 'is as thoroughly
reprehensible a scoundrel as the man
who poisons the publics bodies
The colonel then referred to the at
tacks made upon him by the New York
Herald and to the opposition of the
newspaper to his administration and
to Henry l.. Stimson when the latter
was candidate for governor. This, he
said. was because of his appointment
of Stimson as United States district at.
torney in New York and the govern
ments personal column action
against the Herald, prosecuted by
Stimson and which resulted in fine
of $4,000.
THE New York Herald is published
by James Gorden Bennett" said the
speaker Bennett was born an Ameri-
can, but he possessed one redeeminl
eharacteristic--he lives abroad"
THE Herald" the speaker went on
had personal column of the viles
description and we brought sui
against the Herald for carrying OBJ
scene literature through the mails
Bennett was in Paris and every in
fluence was brought to bear on slim
son and likewise on me to proven
Bennetts being brought back to thi
country to face the charge. Stimsol
asserted that he made no distinction
between criminals. and Just as tn
lowest criminal would have to answe
to justice, so would the editor Of on
of New York's greatest newspapers
And Bennett came back, and paid
$4,000 fine, and never again did thos
personal columns appear in tn
Herald.
Nov there was curious thing Il
connection with that case With tn
exception of one paper, no other Ney
York paper paid any attention to tina
suit. or the judgement secured, othe
than few lines. The average deeen
citizen was kept in ignorance of wha
had occurred and did not understan
why the Herald followed the remain
der Of my administration and Stim
sons campaign for governor with sue
envenomed hostility"
Regarding yellow journals and vel
low magazines, Colonel Roosevelt de
clared that those who bought an
read them were helping just tha
much In the wrong direction.
In closing he made a plea that a
men and women should act In all Z
their relations In life exactly as the
would have their sons and daughter
act. Good bye good luck were HI
parting words