Mexico Missouri message., 1902-09-11

he should not represent the people
of Audrain Co. But word has
come from jefferson City that the
ADMINISTRATION wants him. "The
administration wants him!" and
pray who is the administration
And into what straits has it fallen'
What the awful crises that the
warming must ONE all the way
from Jefferson City TO choose Au-
drains representative for thems
Does it all depend upon one mani
Are there no others worthy of the
high calling, or what is it that's
absolutely essential for the one
mani
am sure that Gov. Dockery is
to high minded and noble a man
to so lower his dignity as governor
of great State to be party to
such a transaction. | do not know
of but one man in the State who
has the egotism to claim to be the
whole administration, and you who
have received letters from him tel
ling you what must be done and to
whose behest some are truckeling
know who | mean.
1t may be that the announced
candidate will have no opposition,
but that does not alter the fact
that deep down in the hearts of
the people is Il feeling repugnant
to and repulsivc of the idea of his
nomination. They feel that some
one has taken the advantage of the
condition to accomplish some
personal end unknown to the peo-
pie, has thrust upon you the question
that is foreign to all party purposes
or party needs. 1t seems to me
the inner feeling of n man fit for
that high office would revolt at the
idea of making the dead an issue
in political campaign. And yet
it is clear to all thinking people
that this is to be made the leading
| issue. If such an issue is not re-
pulsivc to the announced candida
te it is to every reasoning and
thinking man in Audrain county.
Some one has taken an advantage
of the public feelings of sympathy
under the most trying circumstan-
ces to serve some political end. TO
what extremes must one be driven
to ignore the finer feelings of the
aged and take advantage of so
shocking an event to accomplish
his purpose! The Democratic par
ty cannot afford to sanction Il
thing 81 repugnant to those finer
sensibilities of an exalted manhood
1t must deal with principles, not
with private affairs of men.
| must speak plainly, and here
and now most emphatically enter
my most earnest and solemn pro-
test. More than this, how weak
must be a man S scause when he must
ask great party to SO lose its
own self respect as to take sides in
his own private affairs and become
a party to that for which it is in
no wise responsible.
The people owe the announced
candidate nothing. He has enjoy
ed the cmOlumcnts of office, and if
he did well it is no more than he
promised the people. But it is not
so much the man the good Dem
ocrats oppose bnt it is the issue, SO
unreasonable and unjust.
The issue is not made upon the
merits of the candidate, but upon
the merits of another. And the
party is asked to constitute itself
into II jury and without trial con,
demn one of its fellow citizens tC
the justification Of another. Tria
by jury is one of the cardinal prin'
ciples of democracy. What are
the claims the candidate has upor
the party for such a course! Surely
it will not be cOntended that the
Office is inherited, that it is to bt
transmitted from father to son ant
from son back to father. If sc
where are the aspirations of wor
thy young men, who are fully