Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-14

" =
progress if not Indifferent to it; an
attorney general admitting bride
takers to the department of justice,
making them his boon companions
and utilizing the agencies of the law
for purposes of private and political
vengeance; a chief of the veterans
bureau stealing and helping others
to steal the millions in money and
supplies provided for the relief of
those defenders of the nation most
entitled to the nations gratitude and
care. Such crimes are too gross TO
be forgotten or forgiven.
II do not believe that the millions
Of sincere and patriotic men and
women who have composed the rank
and file of the Republican party are
more ready to condone these and
similar offenses or to pardon the Of
tenders than those of other political
faiths. Indeed, their indignation has
perhaps a sharper edge, for it Is cou-
pied with the chagrin that must fol
low from the knowledge that under
authority issued in their name cor
rupt men have crept to places OF
power and then betrayed the trust
that placed them there.
Executive Failed to Take Action
There are circumstances. how
ever, which spread responsibility for
the effect Of these things upon the
public confidence beyond the list of
the criminals themselves. There is,
first, the fact that the revelation of
these crimes was not the result OF
any action taken by the executive.
No burning indignation there put in
train the forces of investigation ana
Of punishment.
The disclosures came only as the
result OF the painstaking effort OF
faithful public servants in the leg
islative branch of the government
who could not close their eyes even
when others chose to slumber.
Again, when discovery was
! threatened, instead of aid and assist
ance from the executive branch theGe
| were hurried efforts to suppress
testimony, to discourage witnesses
to spy upon investigators anc
finally, by trumped-up indictment
to brighten and deter them from the
pursuit. The spying on senators
and congressman; the hasty inter
change of kilograms in department
code; the refusal of those accused
to come forward, Under oath. to
purge themselves-all these things
serve to blacken a page that was
already dark enough.
Different perhaps in moral quail
ity, but hardly less painful to the
country, has been the attitude OF
SOME of those in high places whose
effort it has been to weaken the
effect of these exposures by crying
out not against the guilty but
against those who exposed them.
What shall we say when q
statement comes from one who OF
all men should have been most deep
ly stirred that the wonder is not
that SO many have fallen bit that
so few have been shown untrue:
With what patience shall we greet
the libelous suggestion that, after
all, these are but incidents provoked
by the demoraliza ton attendant
upon the great war?
is memory then so short that
we no longer recall the heroic days
of 1917 and 1918, when America
| rose to heights of moral grandeur
| unsurpassed, when every meeting
place was a temple and every house
n shrine? Shall we forget that nc
COITuDIlOI
mas ever attached to any man who
held public office during that great
struggle or to any man who con
tinued to hold office under the fed
efal government until March a
| 1921? Shell shock was late indeed
IN arriving if it is to be put for.
Waro now as the excuse for these
gross misdeeds.
Corruption Charged
charge the Republican party
WIN TINS corruption in office.
chafSe 1t also with favoritism il
-eSlslation. L co more, I charge IL
WIN mat grosSest form of favor
ltlsm which gives to him who hath
ana takes away from him who hath
| not
10 pervert high office to ner
sonal gain is an offense detested h,
ali honest men; but to use the now
er or legislation purposely to enrict
oile man or set of men at the ex
! Pehse Oh others is robbery on ?
! larger scale though done under the
| forms of law.
IN the passage Of the Tordnev
McCumber tariff act, imposing the
hignest rates and duties in the far
III history Of the nation, there was
an unblushlng return to the evil
days or reWarding party support and
pohtlcal contributions with leeisla
tive favors.
In the language of one of the
advocates of that measure: 'Tf we
take care of the producers. the cns
toners can take care of themselves
tor every dollar that this statIt,
mas drawn into the treasury of tht
United States, it has diverted five
rom the pocket of the consumer int
ehs pockets of the favored few.
Although the Republican platform
ADOPTED at Cleveland holds ont r.
the taxpayers the elusive promise
OF relief to those who are 'daiIy
paving their taxes through the:l
!lVlnS expenses as indeed thew are
II nowhere offers any promise oil
a reduction in tariff duties, but
lauds the existing bill as the sum
init of human wisdom.
Is there not something of hu
NOR as we'll as, honesty lacking n
those who in one and the same
breath can promise a reduction oil
the cost of living and praise a stat
ute which raises the price of the
elemental necessities of life; VIII
can demand, as they should, the
payment of our foreign debts but
refuse to accept from the debtor the
goods In which alone payment car
be made; who clamor for an Amer
lean merchant marine, but deny il
the carSoes necessary for its ex
istence?
Democrats Force Action
when a reduction in the burden
OF income taxes could no longer be
denied, the country was presented
with the Mellon bill, offered bv the
administration to the people as the
last word on that subject. When
1t met the test of impartial analysis
! mere, 100, there appeared the motive
to favor the few possessors of swol
len incomes beyond the many Of
| moderate means.