The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-08-29
MALIGNANT INJUSTICE.

ly than In its treatment OF Governor
DOckery. 1t keeps insisting that he
is shielding the bOodlers, that he is
not in sympathy with their prOsecu-
tion, that be is disgracetully silent,
etc, etc. The metropolitan papers
know that there is not a word Of
truth in these things. They go on
compromising the lie day after day
knowingly and purposely. They know
that he fought the very set in the
legislature last session who were ar
forwards found to be suspicious char
acters. They knew that he examined
the legislation Of last winter more
carefully than any other governor cyer
did and that he vetoed more of the
suspicious and Objectionable bills in a
single session than any other COVER
nor of Missouri eyer did in his whole
term Of office. They knew that from
the first he placed all the power of
his Office at the disposal of Mr.. Folk,
that he urged the calling Of the Cole
county grand jury. and that he in
structed Attorney General Crow to
take charge Of the prosecution. They
Epom that ba bneiod bsnoeole for utaoIre
to induce the state department at
Washington to try to secure the ex-
tradition Of Kratz. They know that
he never relented until this country
negotiated an extradition treaty with
Mexico. They know that they have
suppressed his public |utterances for
the purpose of making out their 0 o
tention about his "cowardly silence. a"
They know, for instance. of his
speech at DeSoto July 4, which the
Press of that city pronounced the
greatest speech ever delivered there.
They did not give a line of this
speech, devoted principally to this
subject though it was, but they have
room for columns of foolishness from
men who have polled railroad trains.
The short sightedness Of such a
policy does not seem to appear to
them. They think and hope to dis
credit every democrat who is prom
inent 10 politics today under the guise
of booming Mr.. Folk. They do not
care anything about Mr.. Folk. Most
of them would not support him if he
were nominated-none Of them, in
fact, except the St. Louis Republic.
There is not one Of them that would
not rather see the party take up Lon
Stephens. They are intent upon
demoralizing the party and are selz-
ing upon Mr.. Folks just popularity
to discredit anu belittle Dockery,
Cook, CAN'T and other known and
tried leaders of the democracy, whom
they especially hate. Every one Of
them is lending c%ountenance to the
Rube Oglesby boom for railroad COM
missioner, not because Of any love for
Mr.. Oglesby but because they would
like to see the democratic party COM
the insanity Of insulting the
supreme court.
The people may properly think well
of Mr.. Folk. The work he has done
In st. Louis deserves all the credit
claimed for it. 1t has been especially
notorious since it has dealt with crime
and sensation, The people recognize
the courage ana persistence with
which he has followed his course and
they are strongly tempted to reward
now. But if IL is to be done by
discrediting every other honest and
faithful public servant 10 the state,
as these metropolitan papers insist,
the same people who would delight to
honor Mr.. Folk will turn against him
regretfully when the primary comes.
The rank and file will never allow
themselves TO be used to pay Lon
Stephens and Dave Francis old
grudges. They will never he induced
by the metropolitan republican press
10 dishonor and disgrace the leaders
whom the republicans hate for defeats
and exposures suffered at their hands
Since the phenomenal democratic vic
tory of Lass November, Dockery and
Cook have been marked men-among
republicans.