New-York tribune., 1873-05-03
MISSOURI POLITICS.
pov wooDsoYs ADMINISTRATION.

HIS INFIuENcE DESTROY ed BY Ills APPOINTMENTS
THE STATE TREASURY ALMOST EMPTY
TO the Edtfor OF The Trto"he'
SIR: The first Democratic UOVerpor Oh
Missouri for years slas Woodson by name, rcsi-
dent OF st. Joseph. His nomination was the resu' vi
hot contest in Convention between contenuDg ooou'
in the party calling itself Democratic contest So ho'
that nj one time some feared that wond emu IN gen
ersl rupture Woodson not being knownas canulua'e,
bod been chosen President OF the Convention ana na
made speeeh which very well suited the temper OF thnt
hody Just at the right time, when the Convention was
weary with the wrange between opposing hcllohs' an"
when all the Unonsts and mOderaes In the COnVenuon
were ready for any compromise, because hatcn, "
Rebel soldier was leading, while all the Contedera'es'
who were Jealous because Hatch seemed nkey " 20
singled ont as the representative Of that element
were ciuinp enough to drop him for now man. the
| name OF Woodson was sprung upon the eHclteu
| crowd Men rushed TO his support WIN htNo
| Thought save that his nomination "o"
give relief from something they had dreaded ana Deo
the ballot closed he the chosen candidate IL qu
often happens that men nominated In ths haph"'i''
way, chiefly because nobody knows anything aV0uD
them because they have not borne close scrutiny rs
Ion candidates and because they have the indeter-
minate position which makes compromise easy, 40 no'
wear remarkably well in tho canvass or after eectoh
IL WAS soon discovered that WoodsoD, though nc hal
made one good speech before the Convention was hoe
miracuously gifted as an orator presently "H uS'y
story about him came from st. Joseph 1t appeared that
he had received $4,000 to get certain railroad opera
ton OF disputed propriety through the County Court
and had done so under circumstances more aterng 70
his adroitness as lobbyist than 20 his credit In other
respects Men said, II he had used this money thch
he had been guilty Of bribng some oinclalj II
he had not, then the fee was beyond reason ior
hi, services and he had been guilty OF extor-
tion Some very prominent Democrats were 80
hot fNav "A
meeting Of the Central Committee 70 take his name OF
the ticket But this was Just before the October cleo
tops such disclosure in Missouri might weaken the
Reform party in Indiana and Ohio, and the matter was
hushed up woodson ran with ticket sure OF large
majority and was elected II was subsequently nolseu
about that persons who helped 20 hush up this raroad
business first cxacted pledges from HMM one case IL
Is said in wrtng-that he would not be canaualo or
the seat in the Senate then held by Frank Blair
GOV wooDsoN's SINGULAR APPOINTMENTS.
The Governorof Missouri has not much power The few
appontments in his gftarc not OF much political import
ance but they show what sort Of motives govern
him. Woodson began by selecting for some OF the most
comfortable places, persons Of no political value or d5
tiucton who were his personal friends or relatives
chiefly from St. Joseph. Some grumbng folowed,Dut sun
more when It appeared that he had given pledges which
he did not keep and still more yet when he hesitated
DELAYED and vaciated long about some OF the more
important appointments as to make friends and foes
alike speak OF him with mingng OF indignation ana
contempt Democrats offered resolutions rdiculing ms
uepotIsm and his tardiness; even the very men VINO
finally controlled his action spoke OF him in terms more
severe than can anywhere be publicly repeated AT last
he was forced TO act and for Police Commissioners In
81 Louis two Americans and two Germans being the
previous members, selected three Americans ana ah
IrisLman The temper OF the German Liberals may Do
easily imagined. BY way Of pleasing the Union men,
he selected one former Confederate soldier, one man
noted for his extreme Southern sympathie and another
who had taken ont British protection papers. More
over he assumed the power 20 remove the member OF
the old Board whose term had not expired, and named
the Irshman for that place OF all others Tie senate
refused TO confirm two Of the four and he then with
drew the name OF the Irishman, leaving that class
also dsgusted. In short, these selections were
! singilarly calculated TO make enemies. For In-
surauce Commissioner, in place OF the adlnr-
! ably qualified and generally satisfactory incum-
| bent. he named the sonin-law OF an old personal
friend in spite OF the fact that the newly appointed
Commissioner was peculiarly interested through near
relatives I'm the very insurance company which nau
caused the office the most trouble ana was a thlt tno
exposed to legal proceedings Tor refusal 70 MAKE Ielu
as required by law. For Factor OF the Pententary ne
chose his own confidential agent young man from 81
Joseph who held the Office just long enough 10 make
poeress for year at least and then turned il 10
| COL Gilmore whom the Governor had originally prom
ised appoint such was the feeling produced Dy thee
selections that bills at once proposed to take irO
the Governor the power OF appointing Ponce I0mmiS-
|
DER and the latter was passed Also, the Democratic
House by very strong majority refused 70 give 10 tne
az was al first contemplated In fact the best friends OF
freely admitted that lie had completely ue
fHE TREASURY THREATENED WITH BANKRUPTCY.
! Meanwhile the State Treasurer, a pleasant young
man. was residing with the Governor at his mansion on
| most intimate terms The treasury known TO be
ain tight place :" receipts had largely decreased,
while nearly sCOOO OF State bonds were falling due
during the year. Some provision was needed but in
stead OF any less Objectionable course the State author
tes proposed supply the needs Of the treasury by
selling the United States bonds in which the school fund
OF the state had been invested bill for this purpose
wa. introduced but such the feeling even among
Democrats toward what many called "the HoYerhOr 5
ring that neither TINS nor any 9th9T measure IQr tue
relief of the treasury passed Well-lnfOrmed men
predict that after the first OF June not one dollar Will
remain in the treasury 70 meet Ordntry EXPENSES LOT
falling due must fan Of payment unless the treasurer
succeeds obtaining some temporary loan without a-
So much Tor the Executive Department OF Missouri
under Democratic rule. Even Democratic Legislature
ntrust II with responsibilities, and, out OF sheer
dstrus leaves the state credit III Pecaliou5 Soni
throughout the State have been driven into actAe hos
Beside them force Of Old time Democrats com
prlsing many Influential and active young men OF pro-
gressiye IDEAS has entered upon determined Qpposl-
EYern,ive he * a failure. as a leader of the party
nobody looks 20 him. as statesman, ne will never be
mentioned by friend foe. Rc Will ne fortunate II DIS
administration can reach the end OF his term without
| any gross exposure OF imprOpuety, aud without a
bankrupt treasury. But the Governors mansion OF
Missouri has been he political grave OF an VINO have
aud Silas MOodson VIII pass INTO OBLIVION III loiefOy
| good company. A. b.
st. Louis. Mo. April a, 1873
THE WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE.
TIE MEMBERS INEXPERIENCED AND SUSPICIOUS
INVESTIGATIONS NUMEROUS AND FRUIrLESs-lyI-