The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-10-20
GRAND OLD MISSOURI.
Democratic and Republican Rule
in the State Contrasted.
Solid Chunks OF Political EsistOry-
Facts ana Figures from the
Treasury Books.
A Rattling Speech Made By Ed. holland,

From the st. Louis Republic, Sept. %.
The first speech of the campaign up
on purely state affairs was delivered
by Hon. Edward L. Noland, of jack
son county, democratic candidate for
state treasurer, before large and ap-
rreciative audience at Charleston, Mo-,
last Thursday evening, September 20.
The address is as follows:-
That the republican party should give
any evidences of hope Of success in the
impending campaign in this state, is TO
me, iellOw-citizens, most astonishing
when l sCrutinize that party's history
Tor the period OF eight years, during
which time, by fraudulent and corrupt
methods, it held the reins of govern
ment in this commonwealth. Fortu-
nately tor us TO- day, the archives of our
state contain the records of the past.
Fortunately for us to-day, the archives
of many of the counties of this state
disclose the evidences of radical NAL
administration and corruption. When
| say fortunately, | used the word only
in the sense that the records of the past
may serve as present warming.
History is unrelenting as well as just
and the republican party of to-day
must reap the harvest of the seeds
sown two decades or more ago. Al
every turn the records of the past will
rise to confront them, and, like Ban
quO's ghost, will not down at theil
bidding. If you will indulge Inc foi
q few minutes, gentlemen, will en-
deavor TO give you faint idea of the
ill-doing of the radical party during
the period OF its supremacy in thi,
state, and also to allude to the history
of the democratic party,
In 1868 and prior thereto republican
legislatures enacted laws, and republi
can governors approved them, author
izing the county courts in counties o
the state, without the sanction of thu
people, TO issue county and municipa
bonds, to aid in the construction o
railroads through various counties. To
day many counties in this state arr
still struggling under the burden U
these gigantic debts, and many of then
Tor years have been litigaiing them ,auC
many of the county court judges of th'
counties of this state have languishe,
in Jail for heir refusal to levy taxes Il
LAY these debts that Were conceived il
corruption and brought forth in crime
Republicans may say the people elected
The county courts, and it was their bus
mess to see that the men chosen wuult
lend themselves to no such purpose
This, gentlemen, is no answer, for i
lacks truth. In many of these coun
ties. a large majority of the taxpayer
were disfranchised by the infamou
Drake constitution, and had no voict
in the control of affairs. rhe tricksIer
and corruptionists found il easy to elec
those TO the office of county court Judge
who either had their "hands behint
them" or through ignorance, though
not OF the interest of the people, bu
turned themselves over body and sou
to those who could make most out o
them.
When the disabilities of the disfran
chised citizens were removed the de
mocracy again assumed authority o
government, those vicious laws wer
expunged from the statute book, ant
from that day to this the utmost tina
a county court can do ia to issue bond
to provide for maturing Indebtedness
submitting 10 tue voters OF tue count
propositions to issue such bonds, am
it now requires two-thirds majorit
of all the voters of county to warrau
the issuance of bonds for this purpose
This, gentlemen, has become the organi
law Of the state and Is even beyond tn
pale Of the legislature to change.
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.
| t,, of 10 4 =
record of that party during the eigh
years from 1866 to 1872, inclusive, ant
also direct your attention to the recort
of the democratic party from 1873 II
to the present. For these eight year
the republican party levied anu collect
ell from the people the following
amounts for the purpose OF paying Tia
Aexpenses of the general assembly -.