The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-06-23
CONDITIONS LIKELY TO a
CONFRONT DEMOCRACY.

| Democrats are doing q little figuring these
days with o view Of ascertaining what the
party will likely be up against In the State
campaign next year. Not a few believe that
a scheme IN being engineered for the pur-
pose Of uniting the Republicans. Middle-of-
the-Road Populists. disgruntled conserva-
tive Populists. and the Municipal Owner
ship party. under one management for next
years campaign purposes. In this State
such a combination would mean that the
Republicans would put up the campaign
funds and receive the lions share Of what.
ever spoils might result from the election.
A little review Of the situation gives Gre
dence to such reports:
Judging from recent elections. the Middle
of-the- Road Populise In Missouri b In
danger Of becoming extinct. and . combina-
necessity II the leaders are to have any
standing In State po,itica The so-caIisd
Conservative Populists' spft from the
Observation-Disclosures IN 1sA. n have
since AFFILIATED with tho Democrats. A few
OF them are said to feel that their great-
recognized by the Democrats II they are
to ask for a deal In the approaching poit-
zeal game IL 10 conceded they win do bet
ter II they do not expose their strength. N
Is not apparent that the Municipal Owner
ship party has any strength Outside Of b
Louis.
Farmers are not supposed to have any In
terest In tho party. Thers are two other
small parties In the State unaccounted for,
to Wit. 6ingle-Taxers and Pronfbitjonists.
The presumption b that those engineering
the combine have not made any accounting
Of them. The Prohibfti0nists have always
insisted on running their own candidates
and watching their vote grow less and less
Granting that the Republicans could s1eet
a consolidation with the elements
ted. the campaign would assume unusual
importance. Few Democrats doubt but h
some Of the leaders IN these small parties
could be induced to become parties 70 the
deal which Il - asserted the Republicans
are now conducting. but n - another Ques-
ton ~ to how man. would follow them.
Undoubtedly II would require . very large
sum Of money. for those b have been on
the inside IN State campaigns WIN reeday
ray that tho appetite OF tho average -
former for campaign funds II something to
be dreaded by all campaign If
tho Republican National Committee should
extend q helping hand to the State Commit
tee IL n deemed probable the. necessary
funds could Be raised. but not otherwise
The midsummef meeting OF PopuliStB and
Q few leaders Of the Municipal OWnershiD
party At Kansas City b regarded - ths
opening bid for q combination between
these parties and the Republican,. A. .
eide issue. It would be interesting to know
where these reformers secured pull enough
to obtain railroad passes to the Kansas
City meeting.
They are SO bitterly opposed to the indi-
viduals who own stock In semipubic cor
porations that IL would seem some wicked
Republican used his influence to obtain the
necessary transportation and then forced
the tickets on the reformsrs aSainst their
will and principles Be II known that Colo
mel r. c. Kerens never asks for such IA
vOrs himself. but he has . very handy
lieutenant In the Federal building. In et
Louis. who has been known to do %. 1t u
believed this same individual exercaoed
enough influence In the Populise camp m
1855 to cause the Observation-Disclosures 10
bolt and run an Independent side show for
the benefit Of the Republicans That the
show proved . miserable failure was not
bis fault.
However much Populists. and reformsrs
generally. howl against railroads I'm this
State and the influence they WELD im poll
tics. railroad officials declare there - not
q case on record where one Of these men
returned an unused pass.
Political control Of h Supreme Court
and the Legislature. a. well a. the cleo
tion Of . United States Senator. constitute
the biggest stakes to be played for In the
election. next year. Many seem to have
overlooked the fact that the single Re-
publican Judge Of the Supreme Court will
hold ONCE until January. 1905. and there
are three Judges to elect for terms Of ten
years each. There are seven Judges OF the
court. and II the Republicans should elaet
three they would be In control Of that tri-
bunal at least. until January following tins
next presidential election.
II the Republicans can effect al they are
believed to be fishing after In the matter OF
consultations with other parties. their
chances for electing q State ticket would be
much better than their o~pponeuts Tor con-
M ---a,~ y. q Q al ~ ~nn4A
could be delivered. the effect would Be
largely In St Louis. Kansas CITY. * 10
seph and. POSSIBLY. Jasper County. While
this would reduce the Democratic majority
in the Legislature. yet. nothing short Of .
change in the rural d~istricts
These who are fond Of statistics have esti-
mated that It would be possible for the
Democrats to lose the State t1ckse By N0oo
and still control the Legislature
1t II confidently believed by Democrats that
Colonel Kerens ID the only man Who can
induce the Republican National Commit
tee to part with any money. n. IN fact. is
can be induced to do % at all for . cam
paign IN this State. Everybody believes
he wants to go to the United states Sen
ate. and would probably b much moro gsn-
erous than he has been In the pase in he
could be made to See land ahead In that
event. II IN expected he would can On the
Eastern magnates Of the party 10 come
down handsomely for Furnishing the neces.
sary machine grease.
One Of tho combinations mentioned, PR
haps more as q feeler than a. . result IKE
~ to be accomplished. b to eive the Niddle-
Populists Q nominee for Rail-
road Commissioner and the Pubic y
ship party the nominee for Superintendent
If Public Schools nthus leaving the Re-
prblicans three Judges of the Supreme
Court and the Legislature a. . result Of
the deal. X II should carry through.
MANY lEAeuERS
ll11 uoc1f Z