The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1902-09-04

gotiable by mere transfer from hand 10
hand, there was always danger in hold
therefore. TO SAFEGUARD the school fund
against the possibility of loss. on the
recommendation Of Governors Hard n
and Phelps, the State also wisely adopted
the policy of changing these negotiable
bonds, when purchased for the school
fund, into non-negotiable bonds, which
was done by canceling the negotiable
bonds payable TO bearer. and issuing in
their stead non-negotiable bonds, payable
directly to the State in trust for the
school fund. For the purpose of distin-
gushing these two classes Of bonds in
the accounts of the State and in public
reports, the non-negotiable bonds held
fct the school fund have been termed
are. none the less, bond obligations of
the State.
Security of the Funds.
This whole plan for the investment and
protection of the public school fund,
while diStinctiVciy a Democratic measure,
had the unqualified approval of the most
eminent Republicans In official life,
among these heing two of the present
Republican candidates for judges of the
supreme court, and ii was indorsed by
the Republican house of representatives
in 1885,.
The wisdom Of thus INVESTING the school
moneys in State bonds and Of changing
the form of the bonds fer the protc elton
oi tn" fund was never questioned until
now, when the Republicans of the State
ever seeking some excuse to malign the
stare, proclaim To the world that MIs
souri, bonds are worthless. We resent
this assault on the credit and good nlme
OF the state vet treat IL with contempt,
Tor Missouri has grown too great to he
LONGER injured by partisan defamation.
This is the answer we make tn the Re-
publican charge of footing the school
fund"
Constitutional Amendment.
We heartily endorse the proposed
amendment to our State constitution pro-
Nlding for the future investment Of our
accommodating school moneys in the Coun-
", township and school district b nnds
of our STATE, and for the reduction of
our state interest tax from ten cents
on the Sl0l valuation to not exceeding
three cents, Under the present assessed
valuation of tho State. levy of two
and one-half cents would he ample to
pay that interest tax, Unless this
amendment shah be adopted under our
constitution the present interest tax of
ten cents ON tho 500 will have to he
continued, and the funds thus collected
from the people for the payment Of
the certificates of Indebtedness would
have To be invested in government
houds which command so high
premium and hear so low rate
of interest that hy such conversion the
materially reduced and the annual in
como l,SSoncd more than ouc.half
IT this amendment is adopted, the en-
tire levy for State purposes win he re-
ducCd to seventeen and onc-hrlf cents
ON the 500 for all purposes. ten cents of
which would 80 To met IN" current CN-
ptuscs Of the State government, white
IN" remaining seven and one half C,ntS
would Il" rcturncd to the people for IL"
- lL-+s-- -Ela-@-i+-
ln other State In mimi which tukts
from the poOplo So small n sum for
tn" maintenance of the States govern
mcnt, or which gives So large propor-
ton of State taNcs To the cause of cdu-
cation,
Impartial Election Laws.
Under Democratic rule. Missouri today
affords the people impartial AMI honest
election laws We Ch"llonEc cnm;ar-
ison of tn" election laws Of Missouri with
those al any state in me Union. In Mis-
souri, the minority party IL guaranteed
I he same rights and PRIVILEGES cpiayrd Is
representation ut the polls In m lgcs,
clerks, challcngers and watchers. care
fal provision is made for thorough and
honest registratio" and for the nr'vcu-
ton Of fraud. with ncavy penalties for
all violations of the law.
The law governin" elections u -
Iouis. as - lists TODAY is pact ~aNv
the same MS the law fnmcd hy the Cv'c
Federation of that CITY and passed in
w., by Republican house and Demo-
cratic senate and annrovcl h" nomn-
cratic governor 1t is as nnarly nonplr-
tisan as an election law can he made.
The minority member of the hoard of
election commissioners eXc"cir"s equ0l
powers with the majority members, ard
has absolute control over tn" selection
of the Judges clerks and other election
officers of his uarty.
When Republicans were in power in
Missouri no -pemaerat was -r"rnaitte'l- 1t"
serve az election in. re. clerk or ether
election officer. The just and impartial
laws of TODAY are I'm striking contrast
with the intolorant ana n"cscrintive stat
uteS which prevailed during Republican
rule in Missouri when through tho most
tive citizens. m" will Of tn" roopl" as
expressed THROUGH tho ballot was con-
tcmptuously disrogardcd.
Republican Mcndacity.
The Republicans. inspired by desper-
ate and INSCRIPTIONS leadership have
n campaign unparalleled for
mendacitv and hypocrisy. 1ney proceed
on the theory that ftlsehoods. however
vicious or absurd. if multiplied and per-
sisted In, may confuse and 1nislead tho
people to the dctriment of the Demo-
cratic party, 4 striking example Of this
made on tho t~e9 su'y denartment. These
attacks. often SO absurd as to refutc
themselves-as. fn~ instance. in the
charge that s34, coo 900 were stolen. Of n
total collection of $50 OOO n00--a'c vet per-
sisted In. even after their falsity has
been specifically exposed
The mcndacious character of these at
tacks is made manifest hv the sworn
statement of the state auditor indorscd
by the governor. ana by rcports of ex-
pert accountants who stand at the head
of their profession and h1v" a national
reputation for probtv and high ability.
Who declared. after an exhaustive exam
nation of the original books vouchers
and accounts of the treasury department
and its fiscal agents that every dollar
collected and received had been honestly
accounted for.
The f9lsitv of these attacks is further
shown by the reports of joint legislative
committees. appointed in pursuance If
law at each session of the general assem-
bly,. composed of both Democrats and
keDubliranS. who thoroughly examined
the books. vouchers and accounts of the
auditor and treasurer, spending months
on the work at each examination, and
who declared in every instance that al
the affairs Of the department had been
honestly administered in accordance with
the law.
We dpnouncn those partisan calumniCs
as vicious and unwarranted assaults OF
the credit of the S'nte. and we declare
that the party guilty of them is alike
unfit and unworthy to rule this great
commonwealth.
Corporations and the Lobby.
Corporations sh )ud be fully protected