Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-10-18

the last two years of Governor Fietcher's ad-
expense for the same work during 1884 was
only S., $50, or about one-ten'h as much. The
printing Of the laws and Journals during the
last seven years Of the Republican regime
amounted to over S25. 600 more than the same
work has amounted to In the last twenty-five
years of Democratic rule He said the expense
of the last Republican legislature was S45l ,94l,
while the last Democratic legislature, assem-
bled in 1898. cost Sl45 $50. or about one-fourth
as much. He made a plumber of comparisons
showing how the revenues wrung from disfran-
chissd taxpayers were needlessly, II not cor
ruptly, wasted during the ascendancy OF the
Republican party in Missouri.
1t was during that period that the states
liens on the great railroads 1t had aided were
corruptly surrendered, almost without con-
sideration, to favored partisans-thus entail
ing, by shameless and uphlushing rascality, q
public debt OF more than So, Ooo,oc on the peo-
pute and our credit sacrificed The securities
of the State were regarded with suspicion, and
those bearing six per cent and oyer were re-
condition Of general disorder at home and of
universal disgrace abroad
BY way of contrast, as indicating the wisdom
and economy of Democratic ADMINISTRATION,
the Governor stated that the year before the
restoration Of the Democracy to power, the tax
what 1t is today. Then it was so cents on the
800, now it is 25 cents on the sl0o. OF this %
cents, 10 cents Is appropriated to be used in re-
ducing the public debt and paying the annual
interest; 8 cents is appropriated to the support
of the public schools, and Is annually returned
" INC SOuntlCbs ~ EtiudinluS ~ u 10 Q
to meet the current expenses of the State gov
eminent. Out of this 10 cents on the 800 are
and Judicial oficers of the state; are constructed
all educational, eleem0sy nary, penal and other
public %edifces; are supported all public insti-
tire tsso Tuning expenses Of the Government are
met. He said that the tax for the current sup
port of the Government was less in Missouri
to the states Immediately around us, the rate in
Missouri for this purpose is just one-half that
of Iowa and Illinois, less than one-half that Of
Arkansas, and only one-third that of Kansas.
Since the state has been in the hands of the
Democracy three-fourths of our bonded debt
has been retired. At the close Of the first two
years of this administration the bonded debt of
The state will amount to about five and one-half
millions, nearly the whole of which now bears
only Sn per cent-these low interest bonds bav-
ing been exchanged for the high rate Republican
bonds The 81 per cents command a premium
today In any market, whereas in Republican
times the six per cents were sold at q large dis
count The Governor said he was sure that,
without increasing the tax burden, he would be
able to deliver the State government to his sue
cessor with the bonded debt reduced to 81, 600 600
The consequent decrease In the interest charge
will probably enable his successor to entirely
eXtinguish the debt during his term; SO that in
six years from this date, even if not another
dollar should be added to the taxable wealth of
the State, the entire State tax will be reduced to
Is cents on the 500. But as our State is grow
Ing rapidly in wealth, he would not, he said,
be surprised If in six or eight years from
now, with our debts ali paid, that the State
q ~ oppottS ou tosN kV"A . SShfo
on the Sl00, without decreasing the amount
raised for our public schools.
! Continuing, the Governor said:
The business affairs of the etate have been con-
Quoted in a business way, with strict economy
and with fidelity to the blicinterest ever since
those affairs have been entrusted to the Demo-
cratic party. l can ask without fear f that party
has NOT always stood for decent administration,
and always firmly upheld the cause OF good
government in this commonwealth? During the
D years OF our ascendancy only one thing has
occurred In the administration of state affairs
for which we need to apoioglze Inat Thing was
years ago. Not a dollar was lost to the state,
however. on that acc Iunt, and the unfortunate
Has not the government OF this state been
frugal, clean and orderly? Would / state the
case too strongly, it, reviewing the history OF
model state? The last two have been turbulent
years. Three great social or industrial upheav-
ais, of almost unprecedented dimensions, have
the coal miners strike and the railroad strike.
They followed each other In rapid succession,
constantly increasing in volume and violence;
Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and other states had
soldiers In the field to suppress the Coxey-
ties: Pennsylvania, OHIO, indiana, Iliineis.
states called ont their militia to suppress the
miners; and half the states of the Union en-
niaf army, to suppress the railroad strikers.
Nearly all the states about US, from Boston to
San Francisco, and from the Dakotas to Mobile
Bay, were SO shaken and so alarmed by these
giant upheavals that they invoked the protection
of the military power. BayOnets and Calling
guns were flashing and rambling everywhere.
The captain in epaulets was greater than the
judge In ermine, and any subeitern outranked
the sheriff. Everything was topsy-turvy. But
culinary outbreaks, Missouri, but little dis
turbed, pursued the even tenor of her way
Not a soldier was called into active service, nor
o baYonet used to uphold her laws or maintain
the peace. Her location puts her on the high
way between the oceans. Three divisions OF
wandering Coxeyites traversed the State, but she
/ fnrDishai No rnbtiRDanf tn suell their marching
columns. Those who came were kindly treated,
fed, and passed along with SO little confusion
that our people were scarcely conscious of their
presence.
STRIKERS coMPLIMKNTED.
Missouri ranks among the very first OF the
great mining states of the Union. Few excel
her in the Importance of her mining interests
When the National officers of the miners union
ordered a strike, thousands of Missouri miners
followed the example of their fellows In DINER
states, laid down their tools and abandoned
work. In nearly all the other mining states
this cessation of work was followed by repeated
conflicts between the striking miners and the
militia; but mere in Missouri, there was no dis
turhance of s~uficiert magDi' ude or Importance
to attract more than a passing notice. There
attempt to over-ride public authority. There wss
no effort to commit any violence which could
not be easily suppressed by the local constabu-
larry. There Was no call for military force, nor
need of it. The miners of Missouri have demon
strated to their fellow. citizens that they are an
honorable, law-abiding, patriotic people. Ihey
have demonstrated that they do not need to be
herded like animals within a wall of steel In
order to preserve the public peace. They have
shown their ability to fight their battles within
the limits and under the protection of the law;
1 know nothing OF the miners or the militia oil
other states; Ihave had nothing to do with their
affairs. But L am happy to know that in Mis-
souri,, so far from any conflict between The
miners and the militia, there has scarcely been
any occasion for serious friction between the
miners and the civil power.
Missouri is also one of the great railroad states
of the Union She has $500 miles of road. A
half dozen great transcontiDental lines are rest
ing upon her breast. On her eastern border is
the creates: city in the Mississippi valley, and
on her western border two of the greatest cities
in the Missouri valley. All three are important
terminal polnts There are perhaps ., Osi men
employed in operating the railroads of the State
In all these particulars Missouri is at least npen
terms of equality with Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
California and the other states which were IN
volved in the great July strike OF the American
Railway Union. A dozen states, east. west and
north nj us wnre converted into military CARDS