Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1911-03-30
The Birth Of e Soul.

AZ
that Rudolph Spreckles tells of
bis initiation into the study of
public affairs? 1t ought to be
heard by every citizen who de.
sires to live up to his civic respon.
sibilities. 1t is especially impor.
tant that young men shall hear
it. Mr.. SpreckIes has peen spea-
king before clubs, colleges and
legislature. AT Lincoln. Neb., he
first addressed the Commercial
club, and the members crow'ling
every foot Of space in the ban
quet hall, listened with breath
less interest to the plain and sim.
pie story of the way in which his
own heart was reached and his
manhood stirred by the knowl-
edge he acquired Of crookedness
in business and municipal gov.
ernment. H. WAS then invited
to speak before the State Senate
of Nebraska, and in the evening
addressed a body OF students at
the university. Everyone who
listened to him went away stron.
ger Tor what he said.
Spreckles bpgan business as q
young man-as q boy, in fact
under his fathers tutelage. His
first recollections wereof the law
less conduct of rivals who were
attempting to prevent compet-
ition. Machinery was damaged
by persons obtaining admission
to the works, and a trusted EN-
ploye was bril,ed to furnish intor.
nation. Later as a director in
q local gas company in San Fran.
cisco he became aware of the indie.
fensible methods that we're being
employed by the company. He
appealed to t h Q stockholders,
reoryanized the company and
started out to put the corpora
tion upon an honest business bas.
il. Then he came into contact
with thrgrafters in municipal life,
chief among whom at that time
wos Abe Ruef. he had be en-
gradually becoming sonscious of
a work that needed TO he done,
but the final fact necessary to ar-
ouse bis moral nature was an off.
pr made by Abe kuef that invol
we'd conseq uences so fendish that
young sprerkles burst forth into
\ reformrr. 1t was thu birth of a
soul, to borrow a phrase that
has been used many times before.
He dates his political career from
that date. Since then be has
not only spent his money but
what ls even more noteworthy,
he has risked the social ostrac.
ism which the predatory inter.
ests are able to visit upon those
who hold virtue above might.
He is largely responsible for the
shaking up in California politics
"a shaking that will do the
State more good than the earth.
quake did harm.
One oi the best tests of politi-
cal wisdom and moral courage
Of Spreckles is that he recognizes
the premiership Of LaFolIette a.
mong tue progressive Republi.
cane; be appreciates the long
and unialtering fight that the
Wisconsin Senate had made.
The Commoner rejoices that a
man like Spreckles has thrown
the weight of his influence in fa-
vos Of reforms. Instead of using
his wealth to pamper the flesh
and to chloroform his intellectu,
al energy, be is contributing to
the advancement ofpolitical mea.
sures which be believes 10 be
right. Instead Of feoring the
masses, he was wisely determin-
ed to be their friend. He is vii.
ling to trust his fortune to laws
made by the people. The initia-
tive and referendum and referen.
dunn and recall have no terrors
for him. He has confidence in the
nofriot;eun ond thu intol,iuonoo