The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-11-28

10 make q statement MdT AA"e W
the Republicans the real issue Of thisl
campaign. They are all men Of high
Integrity. legal and business ability,
and made up probably the strongest
ticket ever presented to the voters Of
ST. Louis for their suffrage, They
were. however, Notwithstanding the OPP
position of Mr.. Folk, overwhelmingly
elected by an increased majority.
In 1908 the last city election was
held for the selection OF a council tick
ct and members of the board Of edu-
cation. Again n this campaign Mr..
FOLK was invited 10 speak for his party
nominees and he refused 70 do SO, his
refusal again becoming a prominent is
sue Of the campaign.
This election finally completed the
series of Democratic triumphs. plac-
ing every city Office in ST Louis in the
hands of the Democracy. and | believe
that there is not a citizen in St Louis
not blinded by the most bitter PARTISAN
ship who will claim that the City of
ST. Louis was ever better governed,
with more economy and finer executive
ability, than it is at the present time.
THE CHARGE OF DISHONEST
ELECTIONS.
Startled at their overthrow in the
election of 1900, the local Republican
leaders, in their desperation to obtain
the good will of the National Repub-
Acan administration and to secure the
patronage which would come with it,
raised the cry of corruption in cleo
lions. We heard Of the rape of the
ballot" much of election "thieyery,
thuggery and triekery," aud OF police
interference.
1t never once seemed to occur to Re-
publican newspapers and Republican,
politicians that the people of st. Louis
had grown tired Of their corrupt rule
and had at last arisen in their wrath
and thrown them from power. They
do not seem 10 have considered that
it was their conduct which had lost
them the city
They did not understand that they
had for the first time in years been
met by a splandidly organized Demo-
cratic party. They could not account
for their defeat on legitimate grounds.
So they raised the cry Of fraud, dis
honest elections and a dozen other
shameless and s%candalous charges, cal
culated to obscure the real cause Of
their defeat, which was, first, their own
corruption and rascality, and, second,
the splendid organization of the local
Democracy. "
Contests were instituted against ALI
Of the newly-elected Democrats. Sub
~sequently all of the contests were
either abandoned or defeated upon
trial. with the exception of the contest
against James ]. Butler, elected to
Congress in the Twelfth Congressional
district. A Republican Congress
seated Mr.. Butler over the protest Of
the Democratic minority, which, under
the leadership of DeArmond, fought in
his behalf probably n OF the most
dramatic fights ever witnessed in the
halls of Congress.
The %unseating of MIR. Butler has
placed some of our Democratic officials
in a most peculiar position. ButleE.a
plurality was 1858. Folks majority
was 1928, the votes of Judges Douglas,
Ryan and Hough being about the same
number as that of the circuit attorney,
The Democratic sherif's vote being the
only n that ran far ahead OF the rest
Of the ticket.
The %Unseating of Mr.. Butler was a
~high-handed and outrageous proceed
ing, which at once raises the ind,sputa-
BILE statement that, if Mr.. Butler was
not elected, then the three circuit
judges and the circuit attorney we're
not elected. No sane man in the City
Of st. Louis can argue that our three
circuit judges and circuit attorney are
entitled to their election and present
positions if Mr.. Butler was not entitled
to his. If they retain their present
positions, and are honest men, theEAo
, so because they believe that they were
elected. They can not hold on any other
theory. If they believe that tL.ey were
, not honestly elected to Office, theyshould
| not have accepted the positions, and, if
they believe so now, they should re-
sign. Personally believe that all OF
: these gentlemen were honestly elected
! TO office. l know that Mr.. Folk and the
! circuit judges agree with me; other
: wise they would not retain their Offices
e Failing in their contests, and the pa
pers being filled with outrageous ac-
: counts of intimidation of voters, re-
: peating at the poles, and other cleo
ton c~rookedness, one hundred citizens
$ representing both political parties, sub
d scribed 500 each, making in all thu
b sum Of $4,000, for the purpose Of eY
o posing and Furnishing those person
y guilty of corruption in the election
v either In the intimidation Of voters, il
{" repeating or other dishonest election
/: work. Rewards we're offered and paiC
y for evidence tending to secure sucl
It convictions. There we're, if my recol
lie lection serves me correctly, 115 case
y reviewed by this committee OF thi
s. number but 16 were considered worth.
Of presentation to the grand jury.
lie With a solid press demanding tn