Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-04-17
HUGHES MAKES KEYNOTE
ADDRESS FOR COOLIDGE
Would Bring to Bar of Justice All
Wrong-Doers of the Republican
Party.

NEW YORK, April 16th.--Secre-
tary of State Charles E. Hughes OPP
ened his keynote address before the
State Committee at Town
Hall last night with discussion Of
the oil scandal. On this subject ke
said:
"We approach the Presidential
campaign with the .confiendce which
welcomes a candid appraisal of a.
chievement. That appraisal will be
had. They reckon i'll who think that
it can be evaded by genedal denuncia-
ton. We are fortunate in our lead
err. The country has no misgVing
as it places its trust in the firm and
skillful guidance Of President Coo
lidge.
Let it be understood that we do
not condone wrong; we extenuate no
crime. We would not put any OBJ
stacle in the way Of discovery and
punishment of any official dereliction.
We would bring to the bar of justice
every dishonest official and every
perverter Of administration in or
out Of office. This is duty which
can be, and will be, competentiy dis
charged by the appropriate agencies
without any sacrifice of constitu-.
tional procedure.
Neither political party has mono
poly of virture or of rascality.
There are crooks in every commute
ity and in every party. Now and
then one gets into Office. Let wrongs
be exposed and punished, but let not
partisan Pecksniffs affect "a holier
than thou" attitude The corrupt
ing currency may be found in Demo-
cratic satchels. One who is corrupt
is as faithless to his party as to his
Government. Guilt is personal and
corruption knows no party.
To-day counsel of eminent ability
and unimpeachable integrity, select
ed from both the great parties by q
Republican President, are taking ap-
propriate legal proceedings by which
all the questions which have been
raised as to the leasing Of the pub
lie domain will be threshed out,
every public interest will be safe
guarded ands every guilty person
punished.
These cases are in the courts
where they belong, and the courts
will decide. 1t would be foolish,
false and unpatriotic to breed dis
trust either Of the integrity of the
Government or Of the soundness Of
American life. That would be to as
sail the honor of the hosts of Off
Gals devoting their lives with un-
selfish fidelity to the country's in
terests.
President Coolidge has said: For
us, we propose. to follow the clear,
open path of justice. There will be
adequate unshrinking
prosecution, criminal and civil, TO
punish the guilty and to protect
every national interest. In this
effort there will be no politics and
no partisanship, It will be speedy;
1t will be just.
I am a Republican, but ! cannot
on that account shield anyone be-
cause he is Republican. ] am q
but cannot on that ac-
count prosecute anyone because he
Is Democrat. That is. fair, high
unequiyoeal statement. That
is the Republican position
While the. American people detest
crookedness and corruption, they are
not fond Of. scandal-mongers- In
every part of the land in the more
than twenty-five hundred counties in
our states, our people are sitting as
Grand Jurors and petty jurors pur-
suant to our time-honored traditions
sitting evidence, finding and refus-
ing indictments, trying the facts,
convicting and Iacquitting, stigma
tizing wrong doings and protecting
thus vindicating the meth
DDS of judicial procedure and fair|
trial which have been established for
generations both to protect the pub
lie and to safeguard the sacred-right
Of individuals to be secured in per-
son and reputation against unfound-
I'd accusations.
Throughout this favored country