The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-17
POTS AND KETTLES.

POTS AND KETTLES
Roosevelt was very qaick to cry out upon
Lorimers expulsion, that it was My" victory.
Had he not refused to dine with the Illinois
Senator, he claimed, had he not afterwards
renewed his attack upon him. the white-wash
would have been forthcoming AS usual. the
Colonel sees in the action of the people of
of himself.
There several points of moral similarity.
however between the case of the discredited
Senator from Illinois and that of the ambitious
Iex-president, Of New York Any unbiased
mind must admit that they have both been
henefciaries of corrupt practice and tainted
contributions. In the of Lorimer most
exhaustive inquiry has failed to disclose
single fact going to show that he had guilty
knowledge of a single contribution improperly
used to accomplish his election to the United
States Senate. Roosevelt stands exactly In
the position 1t is common knowledge
that he was the beneficiary, in 1904 of cam
rupty given but that it was criminal to give
Stern effort made to send a number OF
Lorimer's practical friends TO the penitentiary:
of those who aided Roosevelt died from
lthe disgrace attending their misuse OF trust
funds in his behalf. Others fed the country,
among them Jimmy Hyde who is lately re-
ported. in the elegant exile that goes with
a hundred pairs of trousers in Brussels
Roosevelts apologists will say that he knew
nothing of the business that was being dom
with thieves. in his interest, behind his back
The apologists OF Lorimer can say the same
thing with better reason in his behalf
Understand We do not for a momea
contend that because a man may innocen.iv
be the beneficiary of corrupt election. his
personal innocence ought TO be held to purtfy
/ the corruption attendant upon his choice. Lor.
inner expelled not because he was show
to be a briber. but because in the opinion
o. the Senate. or OF the Senate responsive 20
an aroused public opinion his seat was bought
Tor him by brbers from crooks Understand
us. again We do not go so far as to say that
the moral light on all the evidence does mo-
indicate that Lorimer did know OF what was
being done in his behalf
But what applies to Lorimer applies With
equal force to Roosevelt He also. had his
way paved for him by the gold OF the special
interests lie, also far as the record shows
was the special beneficiary OF tainted moneys
He, also had as good a chance as Lorimer
ever had of knowing what was being done
in his behalf and who was doing it,
Roosevelt processes that he knew nothing
q those with whom Cortelyou was dealing. or
OF the sources from which the contributions
came or their purpose Lorimer processes the
same thing. Both. according to an identical
system of argument, were men of pure ideals
and lofty principles. for whom honors indeed
Elight have been bought by INSCRIPTIONS per-
sons, but whom case there was purchase and
sale-knew nothing of it and promised moth
ing as an inducement thereto
This being true-and especially since Roose-
Welt maintains arrogant silence In face
of the demand OF La Toilette that he make
public the sources from which he drew the
financial assistance with which to wage his
late campaigns against the men OF straw which
h raises to knock down-it goes on record
as new bit of audacity that the Rough Rider
should claim original credit for applying a
to be applied to himself