Fair play., 1902-05-10

cy Win lOOt1nS anu piunueThS tuC
state school fund is made the subject
of Secretary Cooks latest chapter to
his political hand-book. No intelli-
gent, fair-minded republican can read
the facts as shown by the records
and sustain the position Of his party.
1t would be supposed that Missouri
republican leaders would learn val
liable, though humiliating lesson
from the result Of the campaign OF
1900, but evidently those who direct
the policy Of that party are incapa-
bic Of an intelligent understanding OF
the people Of the state they once SO
grossly mismanaged.
That the follies Of the campaign of
two years ago are to be repeated this
year is already evident. Here is q
sample resolution which is being
adopted under direction Of repub-
iican party managers:
I'VE deplore the condition OF the
once magnificent school fund of this
state, which has been looted and
plundered until we now have only
lot of worthless certificates Of in
debtedness."
This resolution was adopted by the
republicans of Stone county at their
convention held in March.
Stone Is one of the rock-ribbed re-
publican counties of the Bald Knob
region. 1t has been steadfast in its
republicanism ever since that party
had control In this state. In the last
campaign it gave a republican major
ity of more than two to one. 1t may
be interesting, therefore, for the re-
mainder of the state to know how the
republicans of Stone county have
been made to suffer under the loot
ing and plundering" of democratic
state administrations. The official
records at the state capitol show that
Stone county paid into the state
treasury, last year, for all purposes.
$3,761.4s.
The same records show that Stone
county received from the state treas
ury. last year, for the support of her
schools alone, $5,ss1.3s.
In other words. Missouri gave Stone
county more money for the support
of her district schools last year than
the county paid to the state for all
purposes. If we should add to this
school money which the state sup
plies Stone county the amounts paid
that county for costs in criminal
cases, salary of her circuit judge. and
cost Of assessing the revenue, it will
be readily seen that Missouri would
be much better off financially if
Stone county was enjoying the bene-
ficent republican administration Of
our sister state of Kansas.
But this is not all of the record.
In view of this declaration of the
Stone county republicans. it is prop
er to compare the treatment that
county is now receiving under demo-
cratic state management with condi-
tions which existed when the repub-
licans held sway in Missouri.
During the six years of republican
rule, Stone county received from the
state for the support of her schools
$l.51673.
During the last six years OF demo-
cratic management which the Stone
county republicans SC greatly de-
plore, that county received from the
state for the support of her schools
$2I.12s.s5.
In short. Stone county received
from this "lOOted" and 'plunlered"
state treasury last year alone more
than twice as much school money as
that county received from the state
during the entire six years of repub-
lican control.
The Stone county republicans. how
ever, are not alone in declaring that
the states obligations are worth
less" and that the school fund has
been looted and "pIurdered.'
The Phelps county republicans. in
a recent convention. took occasion to
denounce the present democratic
administration" for "looting" this
fund.
There may be some degree Of al
lowance made for the republicans of
Stone county because of the fact
that they evidently know but little of
their state government. Few of
them arc really aware that during the
six years their own party was in pow
er in Missouri. their county received.
on an average, less than $500. annual
ly for school purposes. or that dur
ing a corresponding period of demo-
cratic control their county received
annually more than $500.
The Stone county republicans read
republican newspapers and listened
to republican campaign speeches ex-
clusively, and it is not surprising that
they, like young Mr.. Allen, of Kan
sas, should have o bad opinion of
their state.
But the Phelps county republicans
know better. They know when they
charge that the present administra-
ton" or any other administration,
for that matter, has ''lOOted" the
state school fund, they are libeling
their state.
The republicans Of Phelps county
know that Missouri maintains in their
own midst state school, for the sup
port of which the last legislature ap-
propriated $4,000. They know that
last year they received in addition to
this appropriation, $5,i33.O5 for the
support Of their district schools, a
larger amount than ever before re-
ceived by that county from this
fund.
The Phelps county republicans
know that instead of the state school
fund being "looted and piundered" It