The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-10-29


nineteen Of these glyers and takers
Of bribes have faced juries, ara have
received from TWO to seven years IN
the peaiientiary: others have turned
states evidence Bribery could hardly
have been mere extensive than II was
in ST Louis under Republican rule
The Democratic party has exposed II.
In the state, faithless Democratic
Lieutenant-G Governor took hribes and
distributed bride money amongst SEN
ators Laws have been sold for years,
If the confessions of senators be cor
rect. Legislators have had thousand.
dollar bills more in mind than they
have had the public interests. Corrup-
tion even sjalked up TO former Gov
ernor Of the state and attempted TO
have him make a state appointment
for money. While. of course, the ma
jority of Senators and Representatives
have been honest. yet it is clear that
legislative proceedings have been
honeycpmbed with bribery. It seemed
To be nothing unusual for legislator
to prostitute his Official powers for
gain. The Developments are but the
indication of a diseased condition OF
the legislative service. Instead Of pub
lie Office being a public trust, to
many il was a private snap. They have
outraged every sense of honor anu
decency. and have insolently Haunted
their corruption in the faces OF the
people.
Duty Of Democracy.
While oiher cities no doubt have
been as corrupt as ST. Louis, and tho
officials of other states as venal as
some of those in Missouri, It is true
that AT no time or place has so much
official corruption been laid bare as
here. Those who believe in free gov
eminent are looking to Missouri to
see il virdicated by a righteous
citizenship. There is in Missouri a
responsibility for the suppression Of
these evils that the Democratic party
cannot escape. On the Democratic
party the duty rests primarily of cor
recting this disgraceful and shameful
state of affairs. because II is the party
in power. The Democracy. II true TO
its high mission must be the party Of
coed government and civic righteous
ness. The Democratic party stands for
the greatest good to the greatest num-
Der. IL does not matter that corrup-
| ton exists in Republican states; let
| them attend 10 their own house-clean-
| ing. while We drive the public plum
dererS from Missouri. The fact that
there are corrupt men in the Republic
can party in no wise excuses the DEM
ocratic party from getting rid OF those
in its own ranks.
The Democratic party is not cor
, rupt party: if | thought so | would
Leave il. There are corrupt men in
all parties. No party can be blamed
for corruption unless it condones cor
ruption in some way. The only rea-
sonable demand upon any party is
| first not 10 elect men Of bad or doubt
ful character and second when such
have by mistake been elected to turn
them out and punish them TO the ex-
| tent of the law. There is no room in
the Missouri Democracy for boodler.
Corruption is an issue confronting the
| Democracy that oyerShadows all other
| issues. for whenever corruption rears
its hideCus head in any state, there
! l. -fa4 Inf uhi
all other issues are Insignificant,
Seriousness of Crime of Bribery.
Other problems concern the func,
tons Ct government, while the Sub
jecl Of The eradication of bribery goes
to the very existence of government
itself Under cur form of government
all authority is vested in the people
and by them delegated to those who
represent the psOp!e in official ca
pacity. !
II there be An offease greater than
all others il is that of him in whom
such 2 sacred trust has been reposed,
who sells il for his own gain and en-
richmeni Other offcnses violate the
law. while bribery strikes at the
fcuIdation Of all law. Bribery is mere
fatal to civic life than any other
crime. Il aims at the assassination
Of the commonwealth Itself. 1t makes
the passage Of laws mere matters of
bargain and sale. thwarts justice, en-
throne iniquity and makes lawful
government impossible. If all official
acts were for sale. we would have
government not of. and for, and by
the people. but government of, and
for the few with wealth enough to
purchase official favors.
In constructing this government Of
which cur great state is a part. our
forefathers exercised wisdom unsur-
passed in the annals OF mankind. They
furnished republic guaranteeing
rights TO the citizens never obtained
-. "a