Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-08-06


world, Her fair name is at stake.
Good citizens must defend her from
those who would debauch her honor
to selfish ends. There have been many
fights for freedom in the history of
civilization, and the battle is not yet
ended. Peace hath her victories no
less renowned than war" The over
throw of corruption here would be the
greatest battle won for good govern
ment in the THE of times. A fear
less and righteous decision upon this
mighty issue will give encouragement
AMI cheer to the ~law-abiding every
where. Grid up your loins for the
fight, and let the decree be announced
and enforced that the ''boodlers must
GO"
The corruptionists have insolently
demanded of the people, What are
you going to do about it?" An an
swer will be given by hundreds of
thousands of patriotic Missourians
who hate corruption and despise
wrong, and when it is the forces Of
evil will be buried under an avalanche
of civic righteousness. Missouri, the
fifth state in population, will then b.
the first in civic honor and American
manhood.
My friends, / am not an alarmist
when ] say that if these conditions be
permitted TO go on in city, state AMI
nation, then the death of the nation
itself is but a question of time. Like
the republics of old that attained ,
pinnacle of greatness and were under
mined by corruption, ours will follow
the same course and have the same
historical record. Since the dawn of
creation governments innumerable
have lived and died; dynasties have
decayed and diadems crumbled. Re-
publies with as splendid possibilities
as ours have existed and tottered off
the stage of the world into oblivion
They were undermined by the sam,
insidious corruption that threatens
us. viii history repeat ITSELF
Where wars, pestilences, famine.
and all other calamities combined
have destroyed one government, cor.
ruption has destroyed a score. When
we behold as in a vision the nations
of other days that rose, declined and
fell, we can see that one thing the
lacked was men, honest men. With
out these governments must moldcr
into dust; with these the highest sum-
init of human achievement may be ut
tanned.
No grander, nobler opportunity was
ever given to good people than the
fight now going on in Missouriagainst
public evils. 1t is a battle of right
against wrong; Of the true against
the false. Evil has been arrogant, but
the day of reckoning has come.
Folk Indorsed by RESOLUTION.
AT the close of the speech the fol.
lowing resolutions were unanimously
adopted and three cheers were given
for Mr.. Folk:
Whereas, The honest and fearless
discharge of every duty by man /.
the highest ideal of American citizen
ship: and,
Whereas, Corruption and dishon-
esty, both in public and private AZ
fairs, should be and is condemned
and held up to scorn by every Ameri-
can citizen; and,
whereas, Our imperial common
wealth and its intelligent people have
been Inundated by the %corruption
and dishonesty of men who have been
~intrusted with the honor of office.
and who have administered such Of
fees to private gain rather than =
public trust; and.
Whereas, The Hon. joseph w. Folk
was recently. elected to the office Of
circuit attorney of St. Louis
and has since his election dis
charged his duties to the full extent
of the law, without fear or favor.
private or political affiliations, and
has become the terror of evil doors
and the ideal of every honest Mis-
sourian; therefore, be il
Resolved, by the old settlers OF
Montgomery county, Mo-, in annual
assembled, that we in
dorse his every action and encourage
him in his ~seupendous undertaking,
and that we hereby tender him our
undivided aid and assistance in his
every undertaking to promote the
of u commercial common
and the firm establishment Of
civic righteousness"