The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-23
The Danger Of
Being Eminent
By CHARLES FERGUSON.

The fact that more people are
murdered in tina ttntted States ese4 =
year than in any other ten civilized
countries outside OF Russia ought 10
be considered In connection WIKI tbs
fact that three of the nine naeu Nhn
have been elected to the pres ieHey
within forty-six years have hetn as
sassinated, and that q fourth has j,eug
assaulted and hurt, with deadly " @nt
II happens that the great eity il
which Mr. Rooseveits wound AaF
dressed In place where Batn
chance of being assassinated is fwCata
times as great as In London,
The situation in New York is ugf
much better Than II is IN Chieseo-~1'1
IL is any better. Certainly ne S,ss
Understanding in the shadow q
recent events-wiil be Inclined IL
boast very confidently OF the soearits
OF life in the metropolis.
country in which ten thoasani
murders are committed every year. ~
which the homtcidal death rate has
more than quadrupied within two de-
cadcs, is not the safest place III tire
world TO be distinguished In. A land
In which thirty persons. more ar less
obscure. are done to death every
twenty four hours Ia land that att
taehes peculiar risks 10 being eminent.
Always and eyery~ here men Of high
distinction have presented shining
marks forthe shafts OF malice anil
murder. IL the lives of such men ara
more subject 10 assault here tina
elsewhere that naturally follows from
the fact that there are more murderers
here than elsewhere.
We shali be making the basest pos-
sibie use OF the dreadful warning Of
fered b. the assault upon Mr.. Roose-
Welt III we use II rs an excuse for thu
suppression OF freedom and holiness
in public speech. Speech Is no freer
today In New York or Chicago than
IL Is In London or Paris our towers
ing. homicidai death rate is due to
other causes.
IT IL no doubt primarily due to tbs
laxtty and intricacy of our criminal
iaw--as illustrated in the fact thar nos
one murderer in forty gets so much
as penitentiary sentence
But we need perhaps to be reminded
that our legal feebleness In dealing
boand up with cur inefieieney in
Stacking the wrists of financial cum
ming and in checking the crushing
crimes of n1onopoiistic greed
The reforms that shall make life
safer in the United States must begin
by defending the livelihood of thu
weak, The law must he an severe
against tine "malefactors OF greas
wealth" Is against all other male-
In the prosecution OF such reforms
there 10 need OF men Of high courage
and Of noble patience and foFb@ar.
ance. There Is need of men who count
the costs and accept the risks. Few
nations are not redeemed or remadS
without peril.
The politics that counts in making
history is not all talk. Partly II 10
made up OF the collision Of stubborn
right against the wrong.
Wrong wher it 10 strong Is not
violent; II Expresses, 1t crushes--but il
does not strike tn. powers OF evil
themselves in the brain and hand of !
shrivelled wretch like Gchrank. 1t IL
strpng OF we&k evil ii hateful ana IL
TO be abhorred--is dangerous and must
be put down.
THIS fact that political eminence II
perilous IL challenge and an invita-
ton TO men who are made OF such stun
A. Theodore Roosevelt,
His conduct In his present emergency
10 compliment to the magnanimity
of the American man. We are all
proud OF him,
There 10 no doubt that In mis- own
mind he has felt himself to pe like
called upon to face an awful moment
to which heaven has Joined rreat
issues good or bad, for Humankind
In response to this call he has shown
HtIhS0iA-- Happy ~ - AOfeF, ana aItlrAd
In sudden brightness. like y man In
spired."
Yet we should not get our propor-
tions wrong There are at least I
million men In America as brave a.
Mr.. Roosevelt and million women.
Some OF the women are house mazda
and shop girls.
There 10 need OF courage tn a coun-
try where the mills, the railroads ana
the building trades are operated witr
such constant peril and carnage thar
the metropolis could be populated
with the cripples that are made.
Mr.. Roosevelt il brave--but lie never
was tested by misery. He has never
faced hunger and loneliness for the
love OF what IL beautiful and right.