The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-02

dividual be judged.
This is the order OF the day. These two things
are to be done as quickly as possible But there
is other work to do--work that will never be
ended until the. coming OF the millennium Morally
the bribers and the bribed are worthy of the
strongest condemnation. but the whole people
is not guttless What about the constituents
of these unworthy servants? Are they entirely
blameiesse
We think not They have elected these men
to office. They have been blind to what has been
going on--often wtlfully blind. Engrossed In
their own affairs busily engaged In making
money In pursuit Of other selfish ends or re-
fusing with a holier-than-thou feeling to be-
come mixed up with politicians" they have al
lowed those same politicians ana the worst of
them to run the government of city, State and
nation in the interest of the big bosses who did
not hold themselves above mixing in politics"
when 1t to their interest to mix in It, Now
that disclosures have come these good citizens"
who refused to soil their skirts by doing their
duties citizens crying out against those
who have betrayed them. No lis betrayed
them. They are in effect, allies of the guilty
ones and against them. against the corrup-
t.onists and the corrupted, those men who have
attended to their civic duties have right to and
will lift their voices. To them, as well as to
those placed upon the public pillofy by Colonel
Muhans disclosures. the average American
citizen honest but not pharsaical. hating corrupt
politicians, but not too selfishly pous to meet
them upon common ground for battle, point
his finger and exclaim with truth: Thou hast
betrayed me-"
This. then, is the amending work:
The performance Of civic duties while life shall
last; participation in politics: watchfulness over
those who represent the people in the halls Of
legislation; support of good men for office and
opposition to the unfit; eternal vigilance and
action at the polls at the proper time
This subject should not be left until a warn
ing has been sounded. The disclosures made
by Muhal point lesson and teach us duty
to be performed, but there is danger in the sit
uation. Some of us are too prone to suspicion
Iof all public officials. They should be selected
with care and their records borne in mind. but
general suspicion of them all. based nothing
but prejudice and the too strong inclination OF
humanity to think evil OF Its kind. is unjust.
This disposition on the part OF many will be
Intensified by the disclosures There is already
heard on many sides the exclamation: They are
: all crooked"
It is not So There are thousands OF public
officials serving the people today with pa
triotism unsurpassed by many of our most dis
tinguished patriots II not with their ability.
There are able men in Office to-day honest as
tho object of Diogenes' search. 1t Is unjust to
them, it is unjust to the people who put them
In office and honor and respect them, 1t Is unjust
to the individual who harbors the suspicion to
suspect them and to class them with those who
have been proven unworthy. OF the five hun,
, bred men in congress Colonel MulhaIs statement
duplicates but corporal's guard or the thous
a1ds OF labor leaders. but few could be reached.
4 OF the hundreds Of thousands of clergymen. only
y a handful were Influenced" On the associa-
3 TONS black list-composed OF men marked for
defeat because OF their honesty and faithfulness
3 to their trust--are many as are on the real
black ,ist"--the list of those who could be
e bribed or Influenced.
J. Let that be remembered Let 1t be remem-
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