The St. Louis Republic., 1902-03-17
DOCTOR BOYD ARRAIGNS
BROOD OF BOODLERS."


patrons OF the poor. openly advertise their
ability, or secretly profess the power. to
secure any legislation required by an in
divi6ual or corporation. for a reasonable
fee This means. in plain words. that they
are in a position to carry any measure
they wish through the city legislature.
Some of these men are really good fellows.
but yet the princes of corruptionists. They
are witty. able. sympathetic. admirable I'm
many respects but they are boodlers Of the
first water.
How have they acquired their power to
bring things to pass In a most natural
fashion. First. they have gathered a Glen
'age among the lower and criminal CLASSES
by never going back upon friend In
gratitude they emphasize as the bases:
crime BY their leadership in politics they
have acquired pull and this pull they
have used to prevent the Indictment OF q
criminal. or to get an indictment dlsmis sed,
or to get fine remitted. or they have free
ly put their name on bonds for arrested
criminals and finally secured the dismissal
Of the case. And In this variety os WAYS
they have impressed upon the criminal
classes the idea that they with their pull
are greater than the law and the courts.
and so they have gathered round them a
set of people that will do any nefaIlous
work they ask of them.
Then they 'divvy up with the boys. They
pay the price OF the corrupt legislator and
do It in a way that seems to defy detection.
Corrupt men feel safe in their hands And
In this way they control a large number Of
voters and most skillful villains.
But this is not all. Next. by doing the
work OF rich men and corporations they
secure a clientage among the sc-called re-
spectacle part of the community Bankers
and brokers. managers OF banks. directors
OF street railways. manufacturers and 9TH
ers. having used these go-betweens to Sc
cure municipal or State LEGISLATION. become
their devoted friends, cry down public clam
or against them and belttle all attempts
to bring them to the bar of justice.
why. my friends. the municipal corrup-
tion Of St. Louis. as developed by the recent
investigations, has already been widely
commented upon by the press OF the coun-
try, and all eyes are turned toward US 10
see what will be its outcome. Shall there
be indeed a New st. Louis in which the
anarchy of boodlerism shall have been over
thrown? Good citizens are not responsible
for the reputation We have acquired Rather
the crime of 1t all lies at the door Of these
three classes-the rich bribe-giver, the
bribe-taker. the go-between.
Bribe-Givers and Brihe.Takers.
'.As to the development Of boodling and
the relative criminality Of its various ele-
ments. It revives the old query. Which was
the first. the egg or the chicken. Whether
the brfbe-giver came hrst, or the bribe-
taker. I do not know. Both are vile But
while I condemn most heartily the bribe-
giver, first, because OF his wealth, and. Sec
ondly. because of his supposed superior in
telligence. and. therefore, greater moral re-
sponsiblity. I gee one reason at least for
condemning the bribe-taker most unspar-
insly. The brfbe-gfver deserves the con-
tempt of all good men. and the ssverest
punishment that can be meted out to him.
But the bribe-taker is. In my judgment. the
greater criminal. because he IL not acting IN
a private. but In a public. ofiicial capacity.
He is the representative. the servant. Of the
people. The bribe-giver represents himself.