The Butler Weekly Times Newspaper, October 29, 1903, Page 10

Address of Joseph W. Folk oa " St. Joseph, Missouri, October 24th, 1905. True Democracy. It ts & pleasant privilege to address | the Democrats of this splendid city. 1 am reminded of the fact that this | was the home of Silas Woodson, the | first Governor the Democrats elected after the stormy period of the civil | war The name of Silas Woodson is held in high regard by all Democrats for his sturdy honesty, his high char | acter and his true Democracy. He | was the beginning of the unbroken line of post bellum Democratic Gov: | ernors, whose management of the | State's affairs has reflected credit on the party they represented National Questions. In the early days ef our government | citizens were divided on governmental | policies. The most conspicuous ad- vocates of opposing theories were Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Ham- ilton, Jefferson believed in the rule of the people. Hamilton advocated a restricted franchise and special privi leges. The Democratic party of today stands for the teachings of Jefferson, while the Republican party represents the doctrines of Hamilton, The es- sence of true Domocracy is embraced in these words: “Equal rights to ail; special’ privileges to none.” This ‘means a tariff for revenue only, and not as a special favor for any indus- try. There is a growing necessity for tariff reduction. The high tariff policy | makes the farmer pay a tribute to the manufacn extent of the dif} ference between what he would pay for the protected articles he buys if} there were oply a revenue tariff on >» the them, and what he actually pays for} them under ous protective system, The so-called tntant industries have | been protected at the people's ex pense until th are now the burly giants of commerce menacing ourin | dustrial welfare, It is hardly possible | to suppress the trusts by one hand while the other is feeding them with | the nieat of protection on which they | grow fat and arrogant. The doctrine of protection is splendid for special in- terests, but it leaves the people out in the cold. It is time now to give the people some protection. “Equal rights to all” prohibits financial legislation giving special privileges to any class; that no people shall be governed with- out their consent; freedom of the freedom of religion: and free- dom of the person. But there -is no} division among Missouri Democracs on national issues. We supported the] Kansas City platform and candidate | in 1900 and the Chicago platform and | candidate in 1896, and we believe we | right then. | \ press; wert : State Matters. In state matters Democrats with on accord are proud of the management | of the State’s affairs by the Demo- | cratic pe the sceptre of power | was rnor on’s | hands thirty years a; that | time the bonded indebtedness has heen | reduced from $21,765.000.00 to $4,298, $39.00, represented by the school cer- lificates. Other than these ccriificates athere is no bonded indebt and the interest on the paid into a fund to maintain the pub- lic schools of the state and the State University. These certificates are in the nature of an endowment fund for public education in the state. When Governcr Woodson tcok charge cf the reins of government thirty years ago the rate of taxation was fifty cents on | the hundred dollars. It has been re- ; dueed to eighteen cents en the hun . dred dollars, and eight cents of this | is turned back to the public for edu | cational purposes. The state debt of $21,768.000.00, | which the Democrais found when} they came into power, has, together | with some $22,000,000 in interest, been paid. The last cf the bonds were ta- ken up and cancelled under Governor Dockery’s administration, leaving the school certificates the only outstanding financial obligations of the state. The wonderful growth of the industries of the state during the thirty years of Democratic rule has been unsurpassed. Our railways, manufactories, mining. agricultural and other resources have prospered greatly. Public institutions have been fostered and encouraged. The State University at Columbia has been made one of the greatest insti- tutions of learning in the United States. The old Confederate soldiers are cared for in a state home at Hig- ginsville, while the old Federal sol- diers have a state home at St. James. Thus Missouri is caring impartially for the survivors of those who were the blue and those who wore the gray. The training school for boys at Boonville; the Industrial Home for Girls at Chillicothe; the home for the epileptic and feeble minded at Mar- shall; the normal schools at Cape Gir- ardeau, Kirksville and Warrensburg would be a credit to any state. The Lincoln Institute at Jefferson City provides for the education of the ne- gro at state expense. The asylums at St. Joseph: Nevada and Farmington care for the unfortunate insane in the most enlightened and humane manner. Eradication of Corruption the Issue. But what does all this avail if cor- ruption in public office is allowed to go on unhampered? When people ask about the exposures of official cor- ruption that have startled the entire civilized world, it is hardly satisfac- tory to answer by pointing out what has been accomplished along other lines. The appalling disclosures of | eration of known abuses is criminal. The. people are sovere , and have it in their power to correct the things that dishonor and oppress, or by in- difference allow them to go on. The | at the house of one of their members | | and divided the plunder. On another franchise these nineteen officials, | | members of the ccmbine, received | $2,000.00 each for their votes. For highest duty confronting the Missouri} still €nother franchise the combine of Democracy is the eradication of brib- ery from public office. It is said there has not been much boodling af- ter all—only a few petty offenders. Let us see in a general way what has been developee. Bribery Developments. - pe There came to St. Louis in 1898 a capitalist from New York seeking @ franchise covering nearly all the streets of the city. He came like a thief in the night, with tools of green- backs and gold. He paid to the Mu- nicipal Assembly $250,000.00 in bribes to get this franchise. Twenty-five out of twenty-eight members of the House of Delegates took bribes of $3,000.00 each. Seven members of the Council were given from $10,000.00 to $17,500.- 00 each tor their votes. One Coun- cilman took $25,000.00 from opposing interests to vote against the fran- chise; then accepted from the promo- ter $50,0000.00 to vote in favor of the measure, Upon receipt of the latter sum he returned the first amount to the House of Delegates demanded $75,000.00, which was put in a lock box of a trust company, one key be- ing held by the representative of the railroad and the other by the agent of the combine, the agreement being that the money was to be turned over to the members of the combine in the House of Delegates when the ordi- nance should be passed, This $75,000.- 00 is in the lock box now, having been caught between the lines, and has been produced in court during the trials. Another corruption fund of $60,000.00 is in a lock box in an- other trust company, put there by this railroad for members of the City Council. This likewise has been pro- duced in court and counted before ju- ries. There were combines formed in both branches of the Municipal Assembly for the purpose of getting money for the votes of members of the combine on measures before the Assembly. Laws were sold .unblushingly to the highest bidder for money to go into LOL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLM_G———Ownn™O Ow” O™ HON. JOSEPH WINGATE FOLK. The well-known Circuit Attorney of St. Louis, who announced his candidacy for the Governorship of the State of Missouri, in St. Joseph, Mo., Saturday, October 24th, 1903. PRA i nnnnnnrnnnnnnnrnnnn | crime. Ki official venality has brought the peo- | ple of Missouri eredit for what has been done and grave responsibilities for the future, The disease has been checked, but the people alone can make the cure permanent. So far as the Demceratic party is concerned the exposures will be an asset or liability, as the pariy may act. There can be no dispute between Democrats as to the fiscal manage- ment of the state, and all take a pride in the magnificent institutions of the commonwealth. The only division 1s concerning the shocking venality dis- covered in the legislative departments of municipal and state governments. The revelations of official corruption in St. Louis and Missouri make what ihe Democratic party and what the people of Missouri are going © do about it a burning issue. After all this corruption has been laid bare can the Democratic party afford to go on as if nothing had happened? What would be thought of the “people of Missouri if they were to remain Igno- bly silent’ after they have been shown how they have been mercilessly rob- bed for years? When‘the people are ignorant of existing conditions they may be innocently indifferent, but tol- the man who gave it to him, saying | | that he could not keep it, as he did, not think he could “honestly” earn it by voting against the bill. Upon re- flection he likewise returned the $50,- 000.00, with the suggestion that $100,- 000.00 was the dignified amount he wanted. In the bope of receiving this he voted for the bill, and finally, after | many trials and tribulations, he suc- ceeded in geiting $5,000.00. These seven members of the Council were paid a regular salary of $5,000.00 a year each by street railroads to serve them instead of the people. The pro- moter got his franchise, which cost the pockets of these public pilferers. Schedules of bribe prices were estab- lished, ranging from a few hundred cf dollars for a franchise. to sell or give away the water works, the court house and the union market | for their own enrichment. Nothing was safe from their avarice, not even the sewer pipes in the ground. Now, these men were not a band of\pobbers who captured the city by forte, but of them were Republicans, and the {is pre | alt other issues are insignificant. | | Seriousness of Crime of Bribery. dollars for a switch bill to thousands | They tried | majority of those who gave them the | py any other people. wrongdoing against them. Now, nineteen of these givers and ‘«kers of bribes have faced juries, and have received from two to seven years m the penitentiary; others have turned state’s evidence. Bribery could h rdly | have been more exteasive then it was jin St. Louis under Republican rule. The Democratic party has expesed It. In the state, a faithless Democratic Lieutenant-Governcr took bribes and distributed bribe money amongst sen- ators. Laws have been sold for years, if the confessions of senators be cor- rect. Legislators have had thousand. doliar bis more in mind than they have had the public interests. Corrup- tien even stalked up to a former Gov- ernor of the state and attempted to have him make a state appointment for money. While, of course, the ma- jority of Senators and Representatives have been honest, yet it is clear that legislative proceedings have been honeyepmbed with bribery. It seemed to be nothing unusual for a legislator to prostitute his official powers for gain. The developments are but the indication of a diseased condition of the legisiative service. Instead of pub- lic office being a public trust, to many it was a private snap. They have outraged every sense of honor and decency, and have insolently flaunted their corruption in the faces of the people. ~. Duty of Democracy. While other cities no doubt have been as corrupt as St. Louis, and the Officials of other states as venal as some of those in Missouri, it is true that at no time or place has so much official corruption been laid bare as here. Those who believe in free gov- ernment are looking to Missouri to see it vindicated by a _ righteous citizenship. There is in Missouri a responsibility for the suppression of these evils that the Democratic party cannot escape. On the Democratic party the duty rests primarily of cor- recting this disgraceful and shameful state of affairs, because it is the party in power. The Democracy, if true to its high mission must be the party of goed government and civic righteous- ness. The Democratic party stands. for the greatest good to the greatest num- ber. It dees not matter that corrup tion exists in Republican states; let them attend to their own house-clean- ing, while we drive the public plun- derers from Missouri, The fact that there are corrupt men in the Republi- can party in no wise excuses ihe Dem- ocratie party from getting rid of those in its own ranks. The Democratic party is not a cor- rupt party: if I thought so I would leave it. There are corrupt men in all parties. No pariy can be blamed for corruption unless it condones cor- ruption in some way. The only rea- senable demand upon any party is first not to elect men of bad or doubt- ful character avd second when such have by mistake been elected to turn them out and punish them to the ex- tent of the law. There is no room in the Missouri Democracy for a boodler, Corry on is an ue confronting the cy that overshadows al! other henever corruption rears head in any state, there ted an issue before which Other problems concern the func | tions vernment, while the sitb- ject of adication of bribery goes to the very existence of government itself. nder cur form of government all authority is vested in the people and by them delegated to those who Tepresent the pcople in official ca pacit ‘ It there be an offense greater then all others it is that of him in whom such a sacred trust has been reposed; who sells it for his own gain and en- richment. Other offenses violate the law. while bribery strikes at the fcunation of all law. Bribery is mcre fatal to civie life than any other aims at the assassination | of the commcnwealth itseif. It makes | the passage of laws mere matters of bargain and sale, thwarts justice, en- throne: iniquity and makes lawful government impossible. If all official acts were for sale, we would have a government not of, and for, and by the people, but a government of, and |for the few with wealth enough to p se official favors. In constructing this government of which cur great state is a part, our forefathers exercised a wisdom unsur- | they were elected by the people to be | passed in the annals of mankind, They the makers of laws for them. Most | furnished a republic guaranteeing rights to the citizens never cbtained The safety of him a quarter of a million dollars in| bribes were Democrats, but that is of | the republic has been menaced, but bribes, and sold it for $1,250,000.00. | no consequence now—they were all When men have steered the shi of The city received not a cent for al!| public plunderers. On one océasion atate into safe harbors. Seennies the streets given away, The promoter/a new member of the dombine was in threaten today, not from without but obtained his franchise from the Mu-ythe meeting when they pagsed around | from within. : ‘ nicipal Assembly, and also got five | $2500 each bribe money. The new The givers and takers of bribes are years in the penitentiary from a jury ! member asked if they were not afraid | the greatest enemies we have to deal for bribery. An ordinance to light the city was bribed through the House of Delegates for $47,500.00. The bargain was made on the floor of the House of Delegates between the bribe giver and the com- bine of bribe takers: The money was given to one of the combine, and after “| they would get in trouble. They all| with today. Benedict Arnold attempt- laughed heartily and reminded him of | ed to sell his country for gold; he was their political power; how each of the} a traitor of war. The official who nineteen controlled his own watd, and | sells his vote is a traitor of peace, told him he was perfectly safe, as it | more dangeroug than traitors of war. had been going on for years, and| The Malian guide who betrayed the were strong enough politically to an- | act destroy his country, but a few hun- [ree and those who put up the bribes | Greeks at Thermopylae did not by that the meeting these public servants met | nibilate anyone who would insinuate | dred years later the gold ** Philip i eh lindane nial Deooooocooe coccecooeeo conseeonooeeE as >? iy oe EBS ws ee |" gis et “oO