The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-06-27
What Shall The Outcome Be?

| What shall the outcome be in the
approaching struggle between po-
litical parties in Missouri The
issue at stake is trene ndous one.
1t is nothing less than the suprc-
macy Of the will of the majority at
the polls. 1t is strange that this
should be the issue In Democrat
ic state. Aleading maxim Of gem
uine Democracy Is that the will Of
the majority shall prevail. Never
thcless, this leading maxim has
been ignored by the leaders OF
Democracy in Missouri. In their
determination to perpetuate the su.
prcmacy Of their party they have
subvertcd aud ovcrthrown the will
of the people as expressed at the
polls. They have not only done
this In the past, but they are now
making the most diligcnt and la
borious preparations to repeat the
crime In the forthcoming election.
Will they be permitted to do SOP
What shall the outcome be?
How the mighty have fallcn2
Democracy once stood for all that
is high, honorable and cnobling In
the political aims Of this Republic.
To-day, in Missouri, It stands for
all that Is low, dishonorable and
degrading. In the beginning OF
the 10th century in the original nu
clcus Of states, Democracy meant
government of the people by them
selves. In the beginning Of the
Goth cantury, In n great central
state Of the Louisiana Purchase,
Democracy means government OF
the people by political machine.
What debasing descent from Sam
uel Adams to Samuel Cook, from
James Monroe to James Monroe
Seibcrt, from Thomas Jefferson to
Jefferson Club! Could jefferson
realize to what base uses his name
Is implied he could not rest peace
ably In his grave. Fancy the au-
thor of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence lending his unsullied
name to an organization whose
mission 1t Is to pack voters lists
with fraudulcntly registered names,
stun ballot boxes with illegal votes,
TO hire thugs to vote at every poll
ing booth and intimidatc legitimate
voters and to maintain n police
force to club challengers from the
polling places. This Is what the
Jefferson Club has done In the
past and what 1t proposes to do at
the next election. Shall 1t be per-
mittcd TO do so? What shall the
outcome be?
II such infamous political meth
ods gain ascendency citizenship In
Missouri will become travcsty on
liberty. In the language OF well
known st. Louis Democrat, instead
OF Democracy we shall have the
dcspotism and tyranny which ex-
listed In the degenerate days that
marked the inglorious decline of
the Roman Commonwealth.
1t is a disgrace to Missouri that
such henious political crimes
should be allowed to flourish with
In its borders. or what value Is
the mere name OF liberty without
substanceP Uninterrupted control
OF the state government for 80 years
has permeated the leaders OF De-
mocracy with the lust for office.
Success, which satiatcs ambition
In well principled hearts and well
ordered minds, merely begets fur
ther ambition in men of ignorant
minds and ignoble natures. OF the
latter character are the men who
are now leading the Democracy in
Missouri. They are the green
scum which has risen to the sur
face OF the stagnant pool OF Miss
ouri Democracy. Shall such de-
generate recrcants be given a new
lease Of power, to obstruct the
path Of the people of Missouri In
their progress toward the goal of
true freedom? Shall political fraud
again be triumphant in the next
election? What shall the outcome