The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-30
HOW WILL YOU YoTEf

How win you vote? That is the supreme quss-
ton, both from your own and a public standpoint.
What impulses win guide you in forming your decl-
sion? VIII you vote for good results, or will you
vote to satisfy partisan ends: Will you view affairs
from the broad, patriotic position of Mayor Wells and
other representative citizens: or do you prefer to he
swayed by narrow ~prejudices and be governed by
dictations of opponents II good government! Are
you with Mayor Wells and Circuit Attorney Folk:
or are you against them:
Tine paramount issue involved in this campaign Is
good government and good men. In fact. that is The
only issue: there is no other. though emissaries Of the
gang have set up false claims, based on mere pre-
lenses, TO catch the public ear. But these claims.
allegations and prctenses are not issues; they are sub-
ierfuees. and nothing more.
Voters must be supplied with facts in order TO
know how to vote. Subterfuges viii not do. Verbal
fireworks and ISLANDERS cannot take the place OF real
issues. Distracting noise will prevent discussion Of
the relative merits Of candidates and platforms. The
election must be etermined on some definite PROPOSE
tion- and the only proposition before the citizens of ST
Louis concerns the very best means and method TO
keep in the course marked out by Mayor Wells, Cir
cult Attorney Folk and their assistants.
The Democratic party has made open, vigorous as
sertions that the Republican party has not even at
tempted TO deny. These assertions were taken up by
Mayor Wells. in a strictly nonpartisan way. and were
repeated as ncontrovertible facts concerning actual
conditions.
Mayor Wells said that the assertions were based
on realities and presented n vital issue. Unless the
Republican party can ~disprove what has been said ~
Mayor Wells and representative citizens. voters must
take it for granted that the Democratic ticket stands
exactly for the very principles that Mayor Wells and
Circuit Attorney Folk stand for. and that the Re
publican ticket does not.
The assertions referred 10 are these: Circuit At
torney Folk and his assistants have more than full
filed their oaths of office, and that in exposing hood
ling and prosecuting boodlers they did the very work
that the respectable people Of st. Louis wanted them
to do. The Democrats charge that the Republican
officials who preceded Mr.. Folk did not meet the pub-
lie demands. The Democrats also charge that The
Republican candidates for judicial. prosecuting, court
and shrevalty positions would not come up to Mr..
Folks standard. The Democrats also assert emphat-
ically, that the same candidates on the Democratic
ticket are men in whom the people can place CON
hdence.
Democrats assert thar Mayor Wells ard the pres
et Democratic municipal officials have set n new
standard Of good government: and they charge That
the city was misgoverned under previous Republican
administrations. They defy the Republicans to as
sail the work OF Mayor Wells, Circuit Attorney Folk
and present Democratic officers. They point TO the
records in the City Hall and declare that the party
invites comparisons between Democratic and Re
publican administrations
1t is true that the Republicans have so far failed TO
make reply to these assertions. 1t is likewise true
that the Republicans have been unwilling to stand OH
the issue of good government and good men. 1t is
true that the Republicans have not asked the people
to compare their ticket with the Democratic ticket. u
is true that the Republicans have not asked the peo-
pie to compare the candidates, man against man. and
vote for the best men, according to records. q%ualiica-
lions and individual character. The Democrats. on
the contrary, have openly invited comparison OF Of
fetal records and comparison Of contesting candidates,
man against man.
No matter what subterfuges are adduced. IN lien OF
issues, only one issue remains. and that Is a real issue.
good government and good men. The Democrats meet
the issue squarely; the Republicans dodge it Demo
Gratis point TO the records of Mayor Wells and Circuit
Attorney Folk as their platform. and they offer evil
dence that their candidates are competent men How
viii you votef