The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1920-01-23
CLEAN HOUSE.

III a SpeeCu uellVcTou dJ Dan ran
cisco last week Will H. Hayes, chair
man of the republican national COM
mitee, made use of the following Ian
guage:
There is no twilight zone in poll
tics. Right is right and wrong is
wrong, and the same strict standard
of morals, equity and justice must OBJ
tain as in any private business or pro-
fessional matter"
Beautiful rhapsody, Mr.. Hays. 1t is
sentiment that we all can indorse.
public affairs wants to see clean poll
tics. We want to see parties win upon
the merits of the principles that they
advocate. We want to see croOkedness
eliminated, and men enter office clean
handed. We want to aid in purifying
the party of our choice Of all suspic-
ion of tickery and dishonesty. But in
order to do this it is necessary to lift
up our voice against the man or men
WHIT engage in trickery or dishonest
practices in order to gain their ends.
Personally We have supported the re-
publican party for fifty years, and
have rejoiced in victory and worn
sackcloth in defeat. We believe that
all legitimate means to win should be
used in a campaign, but there is line
Of demarkation between legitimate
and illegitimacy. We would far rather
lose an election on fair test of
strength than to win by questionable
methods. 1t is hoped that MIR. Hays
words were uttered in sincerity, and
that he may prove by his acts, or ut
terances when the occasion arises,
that he meant just what he said. That
opportunity may arise in the case of
Senator T. H. Newberry, Of Michigan,
who has been indicted by federal
jury and must stand trial on charge
of having defied national and state
laws in the unlawful expenditure Of
money to an excessive amount in or
der to win his seat in the senate
against Henry Ford, of motor car
fame If the evidence adduced at the
trial is such as to show that Mr.. New
berry was guilty of the crime as
charged, then Mr.. Hays and every
other republican should insist that he
receive the punishment that he de-
serves to the very limit though the
courts and that he be forever barred
from political honors. Mr.. Ford might
not make an ideal senator, as accord
ing to his own admission he lacks in
telligence, but he is altogether human,
and in his management Of his vast in
dustries has set an example in his
treatment of his workmen that other
employers might follow, with re-
sultant decrease in the unrest that has
been prevalent to such large extent
in industrial centers during late years.
If he was defeated for the senate by
unfair means he should be awarded
his seat by the courts.
The way to prove that fright is right
and wrong is wrong" in politics IS
for he leaders of any party where a
member thereof engages in question
able practices to gain office to de-
nounce the guilty person and use ev-
cry means to correct the evil.
The junior member of this publish
ing firm takes the same position as
the senior member in his denuncia-
ton of Mr. Newberry and his methods.
In private letter he says In part:
"The Newberry scandal is a nasty
one. If he is guilty hope he gets the
limit. One of the chief weaknesses In
our defense against revolutionary ele-
ments is the ease with which so many
men in high places, or with wealth, in
this country manage to escape paying
the penalty for wrongdoing. Loyal
citizens are embarrassed in making
their plea for respect for law and con-
situtional government when the gov
eminent is corrupted at its source,
the law flouted and the criminal per-
mitted to escape Just punishment.
Ignorant and silly as Henry Ford Is
in things political, 1t would have been
immeasurably better had he been hon
estly elected senator from Michigan
than that his opponent, no matter
how able, should have been elected by