Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-09-18

rot he well administered without party
organizations. It Is through parties
that men come to an agreement as to
public policies and announce tncir
principles and intentions. One nan
may be just as honest II just aol
patriotic as another. yet they may dif-
fer on governmental questions. ! az
cord to- all Others the right to think as
they please on public matters, but for
my part ! believe in the teachings of
Thomas jefferson, for which the Dem
ocratic party stands to-day. Equal
and exact justice to all. special privi- !
leges to none" should be the golden
text Of free government, and 1t m
braces all the doctrines of arue Democ-
racy. Parties are made for the pub
lie. The interests OF the public must
always come before party. So long as
the Democratic party Tor instance
serves the public better than any other
party 1t is entitled to and should re-
ceive public confidence and support.
Public officials are usually placed in
Office by party organizations to he scrv-
ants of the public, not simply party
agents. n may be In private life a
Democrat or n Republican. but when
he steps into public Office he should,
Ia the exercise of his official functions,
have the public veal first in view.
After all. he who serves the public
best serves his party best. A party
organization - entitled To credit for
selecting faithful public servants, and
it can rot cvalc responsibility for the
unfaithful. II a political party CON
cones ~wrJr"louir u should be CON
dcrIned by the public. 4 party that
Clts OF its rotten limbs Is entitled to
credit. IA" wccdinc ont of public cor
ruption is the honor of "A par
~ not it's disgrace. am 3
Demccra, but | do not believe a
DCnoorat., laWbrcakcr Il any better
tia. Il J. publican iawbreaker. Both
are criminal. believe in exposing
and Furnishing Democratic rascals the
same rs Republican rascals. Officials
are not elected 10 prosecute only po-
litical opponents, bit TO enforce the law
impartially against all offenders, Dem
Ocrats or Republicans. The cloak of De
mocraCy should be torn from him who
| I ! Y w = IT w w IL lpl'
If ~wrOngdOinE exists. the sOOncr II Is
discovered and stopped the better for
the party and The letter for the state.
Under no circumstance should our
eyes be closed to corruption for fear
that by making a fuss about 1t the
party might be injured. | ave no pa
ticnce with such talk. The enforce
mcnt of law can not hurt any party
unless the organization In some way
Is particeps criminis. II should not in
jure any organization to get rid of pub
lie %plunderers. If a party can not get
along without rascals the people will
get along without that party. There
can be no trucking To Doodle influences
at this time. The watchwOrd must be:
mo compromise with public plumber
ers." Any party that tries to get the
Doodle vote in Missouri will reap a
whirlwind and should meet with dis
aster. The only way TO stamp ont
corruption Is to strike it hard whenever
and wherever II shows itself. There
can be no Cancellation directly or in
directly between civic honor and ciyi,
dcpravity.
There should be IA constant search
for corruption. Ii is an unds rtaking
Of some deere" OF d~clicacy to ferret it
ont. Enemies must be made IN the
very effort to find corruption. Men
viii complain because they are inter-
IOgatcd in reference to d~cpravity. In
the course Of investigation, individuals
may be injured, but II should be re-
membercd tina one who has done nJth-
ing Is in no danger NJ homes, man
can be hurt by investigation. No dis
honest man has any right TO object
because his miadeeds are made pub
lie. Publicity and enforcement Cf law
arc She chief antido,es for corruption.
Some people who secretly sympathize
with corruptlOnists appear 10 get very
indignant because reporters obtain
from Witnesses facts regarding cOrrup-
ton and publish them. do they mean
to say that the people are not entitled
to know who thc rascals are? The
: people are the ones most Interested
and If they are being %plundered and
have been betrayed by any man. the
sooner they know il the better. There
, can be no honest objection to publicity
as long as the truth IL told. and NJ one
has get disputed On that score. No in
nocent man has been besmirched In
: the slightest degree. The interests OF
y justice and the mandates Of the law as
> TO inquisitorial DIucccdines. must be
carefully guarded. but things the peo-
pie have a lawful right to know they
are entitled to. IF rOttcnncss exists In
civic affairs it should not be hidden