The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-03-29
FORMER PRESIDENT SPEAKS HIS
MIND ON CERTAIN PORTIONS
OF THE PRESS.
ANAN|AS MUCK -RAKING
Series Of Earle Lectures Is Concluded
by Address Wherein Newspapers That
Attack Honest Officials Without Jus,
Reason Are Strongly Denounced
People Glad to Have Him.

berkeley, Cal, March 2s--Theodore
Roosevelt concluded his series OF Earle
lectures here this afternoon with a
ringing condemnation OF those news
papers and magazines--the "Ananlas
muck -rackers." he termed them--that
"misreprcsent and discredit honest pub-
lie servants, with the result that the
mind Of the public is 80 confused that
II Is unable to distinguish the honest
official from the dishonest one"
The crowd that occupied every avail
able inch of space In the big Greek the
ater 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 pr an ex
preston of opinion from the audience
ny to whether it had been glad 10 have
Colonel Roosevelt" IL so. lie told the
big crowd to raise your right hand and
say aye Instantly the audience was
on It's feet with tremendous cheers Of
affirmation.
The public man." said Colonel
roosevelt occupies very important
ana responsible position. but In coun-
Wy like ours Where public opinion pre-
walls 80 paramonntly, the public man
does not occupy 80 nearly an important
position as ne who moulds public opin-
ION. The cardinal ain OF public man
IN theft; the cardinal sin OF the
moulder Of public opinion Ii mcndacity,
| abhor theft, but abhor even more
the assassin OF character: he that tries
In laSf iha rn f.I
esty OF the man who rightf,illy should
be where he Is"
Citing the diverse of that aeclara-
ton. the colonel declared that the news
paper or magazine writer that sns.
tains the crook shares the crooks
guilt But the honest man who IN III
for public life. the speaker thought.
should have a fairly thick skin and be
capable Of viewing with grim contempt
the accusations OF those that made a
living out OF mendacIty."
Ananias Muck .Rakers.
There's a type of magazine" tho
colonel went on. "a type that II is hard
~ fair 10 call muck raking' because
certain muck -raking magazines have
performed a splendid public service-a
type which may be designated as Ana
Mas muck -rakers' than whMh no influ-
enee can play more contemplate part.
No convicted alderman or aisgraced
public man doing time in penitentlary
IL baser than this type OF magazine
whlch pnryeys disgraeefnl accusations
against honest men whom fhey.eknnw
10 be frne To their principles.
THE danger of such magazines" he
saih. lies In confusing tile public mind.
ana II once you get the public thinking
all public men are pretty much alike.
there Is great danger Of running Ameri.
can citizenship.
The man who polsons the public
mind" he assorted. is as thoroughly
reprehensible n scoundrel as the man
who poisons the pablic's bodies"
The colonel then referred 10 tho at
tacks made upon him by the New York
Herald and 10 the opposition Of that
newspaper to his administration and
10 Henry l.. Stimson. when the latter
was Il candidate for governor This.
he said, VAS because of his appoint
ment of Stimson as United States dis
tflet attorney and the governments
personal column action against the
Herald prosecuted by Stimson, and
which resulted In a fine Of $40 900
James Gordon Bennett.
The New York Herald is published
by james Gordon Bennett" said the
speaker. Bennett was born an Ameri-
can, but he possesses one redeemlns
ehAraeterlssic-he lives abroad"
The Herald" the speaker went on.
had a personal column of the vilast
description and We brought suit against
the Herald for circulating obscene lit
erature through the mails. Bennett VAS
/ in Paris and every influence Was
brought to bear on dtlmson and like
Wise on me To prevent Bennett being
brought back 10 this country to face
| the charge. Stlmson answered that ha
made no distinction between criminals.
and just as the lowest criminal would
| have 10 answer 10 justice, SO would tho
editor Of one of New York's greatest
newspapers. And Bennett came hack
and paid $4,000 fine aud never again
| did those personal columns appear IN
the Herald.
/ Nov, there was curious thing In
connection with that case. With the
exception of one paper. no other New