Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-09-17

demned by the public. A party that
cuts on its rotten limbs l. entitled to
credit The wedding out Of public cor
ruption is creditabIe ia any party.
am a Democrat. but 1 do not believe
a Democratic law-brealcer is any better
than Republican 1aw-breaker. Both
are criminals. I believe in exposing
and Furnishing Democratic rascals the
same az Republican rascals oficlals
are not elected to prosecute only polit-
ical opponents, but to enforce the law
impartially against all Offenders. Dem
ocrats or Republicans. The cloak Of
Democracy should be torn from him
who tries TO use It to hide his cor
ruption. II wroBg-doing exists, the
sooner It is discovered and stopped.
the better for the party and the better
for the State Under no circumstances
should our eyes be closed to corrup-
ton for fear that by making a fuss
about It, the party might be injured.
have no patience with such talk. The
enforcement Of law cannot hurt any
party unless the organization In some
way is psrticeps criminis. It should
not injure any organization TO get rid
Of public plunderers. II a party can
not get along without rascals the peo-
! pie will get along without that party.
There can be no trucking to Doodle
influences at this time. The watch
word must be-, mo compromise with
| public plunderers." Amy party that
| ~ -. - r.
will reap a whirlwind and should meet
with disaster. The only way to stamp
out corruption is to strike IT hard when
ever and wherever 1t shows itself.
There can be no Cancellation directly
or indirectly between civic, honor and
civic depravity.
There should be constant search
for corruption. It is an undertaking
of some degree OF delicacy to- ferret it
out. Enemies must be made in the
very effort to find corruptions. Men
will complain because they are inter
rogated in reference to depravitY. In
, the course of investigation, individuals
may be injured, but 1t should be re-
membered that one who has done moth.
ing is in no danger. No honest man
can be hurt by investigation. No dis
honest man has any right to object be.
cause his misdeeds are made public.
Publicity and enforcement of law are
the chief antidotes for corruption.
Some people who secretly sympathdze
with eorruptionists appear to get very
indignant because reporters obtain
from Witnesses facts regarding, CornSp-
tion and publish them. Do they mean
to- say that the people are not emit
tied to know who the rascals are? The
people are the ones most interested,
and II they are being plundered and
have been betrayed by any man, the
sooner they know 1t the better. There
can be no honest objection to public
| ity as long as the truth is told. and
no one has yet disputed on that SCORE.
No innocent man has been besmirched
In the slightest degree. The interests
/ OF Justice and the mandates OF the law
as to inquisitorlal proceedings, must
be, carefully guarded, but things the
people have a lawful right to know
they ara, entitled to. II rottenness ex-
lists in civic affairs, it should not be
hidden There is no secret cure for
corruption. II 1t exists, let hell. be
raised" until 1t is eTadicated. The en-
forcement of the law against bribery
is of the highest Importance to, the
commonwealth. other Offensesi Mo-
late, one, law while bribery strikes at
the, foundation of the law itself Iffhrib-
cry Is allowed to go on the cnnse-
quences Of the violation of other laws
may be escaped by bribery. The helm
BUSINESS Of the crime has been realized
by the people of all ages. 1t has ever
been the greatest foe to Democratic
government. *
The purpose of the law im Furnishing
crime is not revenge, but an an ex,
ample to others as to what they may
expect IL they commit similar 0Bimes.
To accomplish this the punishment
shomld follow the crime A distin-
guished justice of the Supreme Court
Of the United States has written an
article published in a we'll known mag
Gzfne, advocating the abolition OF APP
peaIs in criminal cases. While We may
not be ready to go to that extent, 1t Is
unfortunately true that there is en-
, ttrely too much lsxity In the enforce
, ment of the criminal law, The Grim
inaf law has come 10 be regarded as
machine for the protection Of the
guilty instead of the punishment Of the
guilty. With us a man may be solemn
7 by tried for a felOnys a Jury OF hts
peers may pronounce him guilty and
, sentence him to the psnitentiary, yet
, If he be wealthy or have influential
friends, he can Immediately give bond
pending appeal and walk out OF the
court along with the Jury that con
vieted him. The wretch who Is unable
to give bond must abide his tiae IN
patience within tho penIteutiary walls
while his appeal Is being passed son
This system Is not democratic, It is moi
''sQual and exact justice to all. speciE
: privileges Ia none. /" for It gives to tbs
. rich man bis liberty on his appeal and
! denies it to the poor man. have some