The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-07-25
"a ERATERNAL cHAT.r

"a fkAlEklNAL SlAl.
An exceptionally good editorial in
the Marshall Index under the title
"a Fraternal Chat, " c~ouusels editors
of democratic papers against espou-
sing the cause Of any Of the guberna-
torial candidates so warmly as to be
tempted into a bitter campaign cal
culated to reflect adversely upon party
welfare. Such a thing would be the
more unfortunate at this time because
all the probable candidates are men Of
exceptionally fine character, ability
and official records. 1t is doubtful
whether MisSourians ever had an
opportunity to make selection from
so many desirable candidates. Yet
there is strong probability of an ugly
campaign. The situation is created
by the people. They are aroused and
outraged at the Doodle revelations
They are in a mood to inflict punish
ment. Their Indignation is honorable
to them but in a measure u%nreasoning.
For years democratic papers have
pointed out certain senators and rep
resentatives as suspicious or positively
venal characters, yet their local on
stituents continued to elect them and
refused to believe the charges. These
men at 20 time had the support Of the
state democracy. The democrats
have been in charge of the state gov
eminent for thirty years. They have
had the management of the public
school monies, the state university,
the various asylumS, the p"enitentiary.
No successful charge has wei been
made against Their stewardship. The
trouble has been with the legislature.
which comes up directly from the
people. The people are locally respon-
sible for these things and should not
dodge the responsibility. There was
no excuse for r~e-electing men of the
Farris stripe. Our governors have
beenf forced to club to death the fool
bills of the legislature--a burden and
a responsibility which should rarely
be imposed upon a governor.
But the people are aroused and are
likely to force a fighting campaign.
The supreme court, and Judge CAN'T
in particular, is sure to be criticised
no matter what its decision in the
Shepherd contempt case. The Ed.
Butler case must shortly come up on
appeal, and if the court for unanswer-
able reasons were to remand it, Judge
CAN'T would suffer bitter criticism
aud his friends would not stand it.
Folk, whose prosecution of the hood
lerS has deserved and received the
applause Of all honest men everywhere,
is being criticised for not disownIng
the little gorilla Lon Stephens who
has assumed management of his cam.
paign to punish his own enemies and
to sneak into the United States senate,
if possible, under cover of a reform
movement. Reeds position is peculiar.
He is not connected with the St.
Louis Doodle prosecutions, but ne is
known as a reformer. He is
not the standard bearer or the
Old Guard, but he has plenty of
friends in it. His candidacy is pro-
crossing SatisfactOrily-so satisfac-
torily that o Of these days somebody
is going to shy a brick at him, and
Reed will fight back. When Reed
fights he takes off the bark in great
slabs. If it becomes a fighting cam
paign on somebody else's initiative
Reed has everything to gain and moth.
ing to lose.
The counsel Of the Index is wise
and timely. Events are transporting
rapidly nowadays. and it is a long
time uutil the convention. 1t would
seem to be a great deal better for the
party not to urge favorites too
Unexpectedly and above all not to
allow interest in the contest for the
g%overnorship to so overshadow the
rest of the ticket as to let in any
John A. Lees.
THE SHEPHERD CASE.