Japanese

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J01

Words and Their Stories -- a program in Special English. Every people has its own way of saying things, its own special words. And a story can be told about each of them. Our word today is "muckraker."

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J02

Politics has given Americans many of their most colorful words. There are hundreds of them -- "lame duck" is one, "muckraker" is another. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, coined the word, "muckraker," in 1906. Roosevelt was not only an exciting politician but also a writer with a talent for lively speech. When he was aroused, he let you know it, and his words were as strong as his temper. And in his 1906 speech, his anger was strong indeed. It fired his imagination. It made his words ring. It was in this furnace of anger that the word, "muckraker," was born. Why was he so worked up?

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J03

A group of journalists had been making searching investigations of corruption in business and politics. The early years of the 1900's gave them a rich field for such investigations. Their reports shocked the people. As the nation's chief leader at this time, President Roosevelt felt that the investigators had gone too far. He feared that their reports might lead to dangerous dissent, and so, he lashed out at the investigators. He declared that they were like the man in Pilgrim's Progress, a book by the English writer, John Bunyan: "The man was offered the crown of heaven for his muckrake. He would not even look at the crown he was offered. He could look no way but downwards with a muckrake in his hands."

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J04

Roosevelt felt that the investigators of his time were just like this man, raking the muck with wild irresponsible charges against leading business companies and their control over politicians. The men President Roosevelt called muckrakers were not unhappy about it. They knew that Roosevelt himself was a reformer and was really one of them, and they accepted the name with pride. Their writings produced nationwide concern over the problems they had investigated. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and The Shame of the Cities by Lincoln Steffens became national best sellers. As a result, many changes were made in the conditions described by the muckrakers. New laws were passed by Congress. Greater government control was begun over national evils that had existed for many years.

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J05

Today the word, "muckraker," is not always used to criticize -- certainly, not an honest investigating journalist. The muckrakers have left a crusading tradition, and there is always a need for the more responsible of them in most industrial societies. So the crown of heaven can still be offered to a responsible man who keeps his eyes on his muckrake.

Voice of America

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