The St. Louis Republic., 1903-09-22
DOODLE AND BLUsTER.

II boothe is to be made an issue between parties
| then no amount of buster hide the Republican
party's record or change the logic of its position
Missouri Democracy would welcome the issue as
against the party defendant Let the Republican
party boldly maintain the position to which its
record entities it and Democracy will cry, LAY on
Macduf, and damned be he that first cries, Hold
enough
Fact powerful and so patent that no man
mistake ii has thrust the Republican party into the
position of defendant the burden of the issue laid
upon il. Doodle the work of Republicans in St
Lonis; it was born and had its climax in Repub-
lican administration. In the State it had its nucleus
and power in the Republican minority. which drew
scattering auxiaries from of the ma jority There
are the facts All Missouri them If there is TO he
Doodle issue the Republican party must assume
sponsbility for the acts of Republican bOOdIers.
Nearsght is poor anticipator. Led by one or
two myopic organs, the party has sought to fore
stall the political consequences Of its boodling by
great bluster and show of beligerency 1t would
better preserve its energies for defense against the
inevitable arraignment of fact; inevitable unless
saner broader decenter view shall prevail to put an
end TO the noisy pretense which cannot hide but
only serves TO emphasize the damaging truth The
party has allowed its newspapers TO thrust it into
ridiculous attitude
belligerency? Where the comparative virtues
which enttle il press forward the Doodle issue?
The facts avail it. Let it call for the record
and what does the record disclose? Nothing TO its
advantage Much TO its discredit 1t cannot point
the record either TO condemn its adversary or to
justify itself. The blot of the municipal Doodle days
Is no very proud mark Nor is the stigma of the
legislative minority. Incidentally what party sig
nifcance is there in minority Doodle ring! At JEFF
ferson City the Republican party sinned out of all
proportion to its size By the law of proportions the
great majority would have been the greater Of
fender: but pernicous few arrogated themselves
the crimes of the whole. The so-calIed Democrats
who joined the foray brought their plunder back 10
the common chest of the Republican marauders And
by the grace Of that logic which paints criminal
with party color the Democrats assumed the Re-
publican hue when they assisted the minority's pur
pose.
Democracy's withers unwrung 1t never has
assumed the responsibility for a boodlers acts,
whether he called himself one thing or another. On
the contrary.
Punishment, however. has been strictly party
matter. Democracy has made that its OWN business
and for that 1t is fairly be credited Perhaps it Is
well that Democracy had the matter in hand Had
it been left the Republican machine to punish its
own boodlers, Missouri might have Jared dismally;
the inference is not unjust looking back at the
nicpal Doodle period. its crimes only unpublished
but encouraged. What opportunities where was Re
publican reform then? Democracy turned it's atten
ton first TO the pirates who sailed under its own col
and then paid its respects to the pirates of the
Republican flag The records Of prosecution is proud
tribute. Democracy has sought preserve the high
distinction that, although there may be Doodle in
politics. there is politics in Doodle. Nevertheless
it has nothing fear from an issue which blunty
makes crime party matter and holds each party
responsible for its boodlers.