Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1901-12-25
The Way to Help Missouri.

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The dominant party in this state
is unable to give it good govern
ment. IT is too corrupt to care
for the welfare and too feeble to
use the legitimate power of ma
jority for proper ends. 1t will
not and can not do what is right.
A process of moral and mental de-
cay has long been going on in the
leadership Of the Democratic party
of Missouri, and such decline
never moves backward. The final
plea Of this vacnous majority is
that the minority party tempts it
into evil ways. Almost every day
for months the Republic has harp
cd upon this pitable excuse and
Wednesday elaborated it more
thnn usual. In the course of an
article entitled "How to Redeem
Missouri" it said: ''There is
nothing but jabber in exaggerating
C.rdwell depositions when every
voter in Missouri knows, through
recorded proof, that the Republi-
can minority in the senate is rotted
with long continued lobby associa-
ton" The present state senate
consists of 25 Democrats. 8 Re-
publicans, a majority of nearly
three to one. The lobby controls
the senate, as the Republic admits
yet that paper, whose columns are
filled with just such apologciic
drivcl, proceeds to place the re-
sponsibility for the conditions up
on the nine Republican senators.
What earthly account is IL party
that controls state senate by a
vote of 25 to 9 and yet tries to
screen its baseness and complete
legislative failure by recourse to
the baby act.
While the state senate is Demo-
cratic by % to 8, the House is Dem
ocratic by 50 to 81. Yet the Re
public takes for its text an asscr-
ton that ''4epublican legislators
are invaribly closer than the DEM
ocratic legislators in alliance with
the lobby" Here is an abjcct con-
fession that the majority party in
the legislature is not only unequal
to its duties but serves the lobby
because, it is alleged, the minor
ity so wills it. What is the lobby
According to the recent testimony
Of numerous prominent Demo-
Gratis, including Secretary Of State
Cook, Governor Stephens,
State Senator Lyons and Repre-
scntatives Ranstlall, Bradley and
Cardwcll, the head and front o1
the lobby arc the Democratic state
committee or rather tho present
and past chairmen of the comp,it
tee. Arc there back door rela
tions between the Democratic stat,
committee and the Republican mi
nority in the Legislature? The Re
public practically asserts that sncl
is the case; but the charge Is TN
supported by proof.
What Missouri needs is a major
ity that will be ma jority, exercis
ing its just authority and acceptjn!
full accountability to the people
1t is conceivable that a Republican
ma ajority in this or any other stat
would sink deep in failure and cor
ruption as the Democratic ni.;orit,
has done and then Joint to tn
minority as the real cuIprit. l
the lobby continues to reign afte
Il Republican majority is give
! supervision of the state affairs th
Republican party will be resronsi
bic, and citizens would lie right t
take the trust out of their lfand>
This simple rule applies to II
parties alike. The only help fo
Missouri is in the change of pa,
; ties. A complete house cleanin
is necessary. The party in powe
has broken down in its moral star
, dard aud in point Of capacity
Common sense and tho pro,ecti,
of public interests demand
, speedy change. The in,AIigenc
of Il great state will reward an
punish parties according to the
: fidelity and effectiveness or the
| lack Of these essentiaIs.-G:oh'
| Democrat.