New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-07-18

let tntSc are tnt very H1cn SlnBltO
out by scandal for its work of de-
struction.
John Keats, one of the greatest OF
poets, and the kindest, gentlest soul
who ever held a pen, became a sub
Ject for villainous attack by the un
successful scribblers of his time.
Every school boy knows that
Chritopher Columbus, after the most
prodigious exploits in the history of
the world, became the victim of
malicious enemies. He was impris-
oned on trumped-up charges and
robbed of all the honor he had won.
And the powers who had trusted
him, and who has vastly profited by
his discoveries were the first to be-
lieve the lies that were told about
him.
Sir Walter Raleigh. one of the most
daring and courageous as we'll as the
most intelligent of Englishmen, was
executed because baseless charges
had been brought against him
charges which those in office were
quick to credit.
These are instances of the opera
ton of scandal many years ago, but
they are little different from cases
that occur today.
Whoever become prominent be-
comes a target. Suspicion, like
death, loves a shining mark.
There IS a percentage of r~ascality
in every collection of human beings,
and its power is out of all proper
ton TO its magnitude.
No man Con lou n prn.,I, ~o...o
without interfering with others. And
those whom he interferes with are
usually those who are laying crooked
courses.
They know it is useless to fight
honestly IN the open so they fight
IN the dark.
1t Is harder to answer the tongue
OF envy 1t IS almost impossible to
Tree the public mind of suspicion
once lodged there, however lacking
in any foundation that suspicion may
be
You may build your Home of Rep
utation as carefully as you choose
you may avoid sedulously all appear
anCe Of wrong you may mean TO do
right, and you may succeed in dong
. u W. htA olii WiNit anu NDilltlloN ]
YOU are likely TO find an enemy
ready 10 stab you with his unclean
knife, and the wound he will inAict
will prove beyond the power of any
physician to heal.
As we SAID in the beginning our
our theory IS that a man is presumed
to be innocent until he is proven
guilty Technically that is the prac-
iice OF the courts. But II is never
the practice of public opinion, an
few arc the Juries who can Withstand
public opinion when il is once
thoroughly aroused.
II IS seldom that an innocent man
y sent to his death or even to prison
on u%niounded charges.
But many is the time that a Jury
dlSagreeinp as to a verdict, leaves
IN the minds of all who see or read
OF the trial a firm belief in the guilt
a. the man who has been arraigned
before them
IN every recent years men with
more cieverness than scruple have
used organized scandal to accomplish
business and political ends.
Scandalmonpers there will always
he. and their possibility for harm
WY always be great. There is but
ou, way 20 render them less dan
ctrous. and that IS to pay no %atten-
''pu 20 them.
Without publicity evil will flourish.
Whenever tt"re is cause for suspi
cion. n IS a public duty to clear it
ur The method of investigation EN-
rloycd when public men happen TO
be suspected is good as far as It
i is seldom thorough enough,
But 10 credit every evil story of a
mans public or private derelictions,
without a shadow of a foundation,
il merely TO keep in the hands of the
most wretched of all human beings
The weapons with which they can
destroy their betters, and against
honest men and women have
no defense