Milford chronicle., 1924-02-01

most likely suffer the reaction 1t is already apparen
that the Democrats in Congress have been willing to
sruct and if they desst will be because they ha
been condemned by their own party leaders outside O.
Congress- They deserve credit for broad mindednes
THE GREAT SCANDAL that has developed at Wash
ngtOn to have another case of where
big interests went after what and got through
the liberal expenditure Of money In the past fifty years
the records will show that there have been several scnd
ais which carried the fair fortune of men prom
nent and respected by the counry-atlarge down into
disgrace and dishonOr The higher more prominent
the individual the greater attention transgression at
tracts But regardless of any political bearing such cases
have upon the country there is the question the public
morals and the injury done to the of the people,
Those who have read the daily papers the details of the
investigation by senatorial committee at Washington,
will be able to sit in judgment on Individuals but the NOR
al side of the unfortunate scandal outside political
connections is by far of greater interest to all the
try The New York Times last Saturday said edtoriay
on this point:
The disclosures concerning exSecretary Fall can have
but one effect upon righthinkng Americans Their feel
ings will be that of sharing in national disgrace Any
thought of extracting partisan advantage of the hui
initiating affair will be abhOrren to them They will fix
their minds upon something larger and more ominous
They will the danger of unsetng confidence in the
integrity of public They will the recurrence Of
such lax standards infected public life after the
Civil War; and led to the bsterng description of corrup
ton in high places which Senator left on the record
verdict of condemnation that period There is no
proof yet that the nsidous breaking down of morale
has far today yet us can escape sense
of apprehension well of detection and disgust on
reading the revelations by the Senate commit
tee.
All will agree that nothing which Mr. Fall can now
say or do will clear his He may be able to prove
that he did not take bride; that his official action was
not determined by private favOrs But the more
damning charge will lie against him that he was not iea
for the purity of his Office that was not guided ev
cry day by the determination to avoid the appearance
Of evil and that he lightly tossed away precious jewel
Of trust in the uprighness of responsible officials Let
hat once be taken away from the people in democracy
Ind their estate is pitiable.
Public scrutiny and public should not rest
pon exSecretary Fall alone At the best he was guilty of
rghul ndscretions But what shall be said of the man
Who betrayed him into Them encouraged him to think
hat they consistent with the highest standards Of
cial propriety? If be said that Mr. Fall him
elf through associates whom he should have avoided they
annot be easily exculpated They partakers of his
9rrible lapse They helped to make his conscience cal
Jus where should have been acutey sensitive And
oral estimate of the whole sorrowful business be
mpete that does not pass judgment the part played in
by rich men who were careless of their respon-
bity exSecreaTy Fall of his official reputation t
No one read the tale told by Mr. Doheny without
sinking of the heart Here man of great wealth Il
apparently never stopped LnaC WnaC ne was
ling would have the result of breaking public con-
ence in the Government To do that is reality we'll
gh form of disoyalty and treason. What has Gov
nment done for such men Mr. Doheny? 1t has given Fl
their opportunity 1t has safeguarded their proper
1t has protected them in life and limb AS fair return d
decent recognition of obligation, to say nothing o.
patriotic sentiment, they plainly bound to do r.
thing in their to maintain among the people the
lief that public officials honest and would regard u
imputaon their conduct in Office as worse even
IN a stain upon their private honor. M
Yet we see Mr.. DOheny, according to his account
airing himself who cared for none of these hi
ngs Simply because he had great wealth. and because
Oan tacitly gift, of 100000 to member the Cabi
meant more to him than $25 would to the ST.
airy citizen he seemed to think right play fast and
Sc with moral standards, and to place public official a.
Ter and inevitable suspicion nobility oblges W.
do riches Obge About the only comfort to be got out
Mr. Doheny's behavior, detailed by himself is the
lection that his shocking example will stand as SOL ne
warning to every other of large may To
tempted to forget the especial obligation and respon an
lity laid upon him in all his public relations. ties
We must not deplore the exposures at Washington VI
ugly deeds better out in the light than hidden
deplorable thing would be Americans whether IN Wi
tic in private life not to take heart the true es
of what has been brought out 1t is obviously that
st exact the most scrupuous integrity in public NJ
and must pursue corruption reentessy into last exs
king place Lord Action said that America had devel-
democracy in its highest FORM is demo- ter
cy armed and Vglan less against aristocracy and Tel
larchy than against its weakness and excess De-
such examples of weakness and excess as we have
today Washington we know against what we the
# take I'M arms and bo o+erna11v violent 40 ma ~ + ant
ntain a democracy worthy to live. spe