Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1901-03-28
FROM c. P. CLARK.
he Writes the Farber Forum a Letter
Regarding His Record.


|
Regarding His Record
From the Farber Forum.
MEXICO, March H. Editor Forum:
In a late issue Of your paper you put
me in false light before your readers,
in claiming / had deceived the good
citizens of Audrain county, by stating
in all my political speeches last fall
that the State Fair would not cost the
State one dollar. |, in answer, re-
spectfully called attention to the law
as passed and quoted the exact Ian
guage of it, showing l was authorized
to make that statement.
| went further and called attention
to some las / considered important
statute laws that were enacted at the
same session and stated that the
present, or any subsequent General
Assembly, could repeal either or all of |
them if they deemed it wise to do so,
| Just as easily as they could the law
prohibiting an appropriation for the
State Fair from the revenue fund Of
the State also undertook to show
that the Constitution, or organic law
of the State, could be repealed as well
as the Statute Laws, and that the
Senate had already, by resolution,
voted to resubmit Constitutional |
Amendment No. 8 relating to taxa
tion and upheld by the legal voters
last fall. In my communication only |
asked that l be held responsible for
my own acts and not for the acts of |
the present or any subsequent Gen.
eral Assembly and made no reflection
upon any man, not even upon your
self, for l verify believe that at that
time you were ignorant of the law, or
you would not have made such
statement. Instead Of accepting the
correction in fair and gentlemanly
manner, you followed it up with more
than column Of the same kind of |
false, or ignorant, statements, such as
were without any foundation to base
them upon and were gratuitous
In your reply you stated that If
had not deceived the farmers when l
made the race for the Legislature, in
making them believe that the State
Fair would not cost the State any
thing, would have been defeated. In
answer to this charge will say that
was petitioned by more than five hun
dred Of our good citizens to made the
race for the Legislature, with the
distinct understanding that l was to
use all honorable means to pass State
Fair Bill. | accepted the call, and
the two gentlemen who were my OPP
ponents, will bear me witness that l
made this statement in substance in
nearly every district in the county:
81 am not certain whether our peo-
pie favor a State Fair or not, and if
you do not vote against me, for l had
rather be defeated than to misrepre-
sent my constituents; but, if l am
elected, will take it that such legis-
lation viii meet your approval, and
will do my best to crystalize it into
law"
You all know the result of the
election and that / redeemed my
pledge in passing the bill. l now deny
emphatically Of ever saying in any
speech or in private during the cam
paigh of 1898, that the State Fair
would not cost anything, for, at that
time, expected to ask for an appro-
priation, if elected and successful in
passing the bill, but stated that
there were seven different, require
ments for appropriations by the Con-
stitution before an appropriation
could be made, for purposes of that
kind, and / usually gave them in the
order they are required to be made. l
further stated If there was any money
left, after the legal requirements were
met, would ask for a part Of it for
the agricultural interest to hold up
State Fair. / found, as the session
progressed, that the revenue fund OF
the State would not more than meet
the Constitutional requirements, and
l provided for the Fair by doubling
the amount of tax on race tracks,
known as the Breeders Bill" and
changed 1t from the Horse Breeders TO
State Fair fund.
When you undertake to convey the
idea that the seventeen thousand dol
lars (sl7, ,0OO) turned to the State Fair
last season, came from the tax on the
people, you certainly display your own
ignorance, or you are drawing very
heavily upon the ignorance of your
patrons. / say without fear of sue
ceSSful contradiction that Audrain
county never contributed toward it,
and never will, if the letter and spirit
of the law as / left it, is carried out
Now, in regard TO that portion Of
your article relating to drawing the
mantle OF charity; not voting on inn
portant bills; voting for a few good
measures; my influence in the Legis-
lature being destroyed, political
shroud, ETC., l have this to say: The
truth, is what fair-minded, intelli-
gent people usually want, and insinu-
ations or charges, unsupported by |
facts when the facts are matters Of
record) count for but little with
them. The truth is all ask or want
and l make you the following propo-
sition, in all candor and sincerity, and
hope you will accept it in the same
spirit; l have had the honor Of serv-
ing this county in two sessions of the
Lower House of the General Assembly
OF the State, and the records are sup
posed to give true history of the
service rendered by every man who
has ever occupied that responsible
position.
Now, Mr.. Editor, as you are at JEFF
ferson City occupying a seat at the
Pie Counter, and II you feel at all
willing to diverge from your present
occupation and will vacate that seat
long enough 10 examine the House
journals back for fifty years, IL you
please, and can truthfully show that
any man, who has served the State in
that capacity during the period nam
ed. and has propoSed and stODd for