Mexico weekly ledger., 1903-11-26

lurle5 composed exclusively u mch ~
longing to one class in life. OF this,
however, Mr.. Folk is the judge, and l.
together with the rest of the public,
am willing to say that his opinion
ought to prevail.
| state without fear Of contradic-
ton that all Of the Democratic officials
in the City of St Louis ard the state
of Missouri have given him their best
possible aid in his work. They Y
done all in their power to help him.
The Police Department has willingly
done everything that he has asked IL
to do.
Immediately following the Doodle ex-
posures, the first sum Of money given
to Mr.. Folk was $500 rendered him by
kolla Wells. The next money he re-
ceived was $1,000, again coming from
Mr.. Wells. Subsequently Mr.. Weiis
gave Mr.. Folk the sum OF $500, n
the promises TO pay upon demand Of
wealthy citizens of further moneys,
amounting in all to $1s,500, raised and
contributed by Mayor Wells. In addi-
ton to this sum of money, large sums
were raised by two OF the newspapers
by the Business Mems League, and the
sum supposed to be larger than all the
rest was raised by James L. Blair.
1t would, therefore. seem from what
| meagre knowledge the public has on
this subject that Mr.. Folk has been
provided with ample funds TO pay Tor
special juries and special counsel 70
assist and advise him. there probably
being necessity for financial assistance
only in securing special juries and IN
the payment of legal talent, the Doodle
disclosures being brought about ly con-
fession of the participants, and FOL
lowed up later by ordinations, re-
ordinations and further confessions.
| There would, therefore, in the Doodle
cases be little necessity for the ex-
penditure of money on private detec-
tives.
On every hand and from every source
Mr.. Folk has received united and loyal
assistance. While this is true, Mr.,
Folks ~biographers have pictured him
in the minds of the people as a man
wno stood alone in the discharge OF his
public duty. They have created the
impression that he has been greatly
handicapped, that he has been held
back. and has not received the assist
ance from his brother officials and as
sociates in office that he was entitled TO-
1he impression has gone forth tna'
there is only one honest, incorruptible
official in the City of st. Louis, and
that this man is the circuit attorney.
ask Mr.. Folk to point out by name
and state the case wherein he has MOI
received the fullest cooperation from
the Police Department, from the sher-
in s ofuce and from the other depart
ments whlcA have even q remote con-
nection with a performance OF his pub
lie duties. II there have been great In
fiuences at work to hinder and retard
him in the prosecution of criminals, ne
owes It to the public to state boldly
the names of the persons who have SC
hindered and retarded his work, Lei
him give to the public the names OF tht
officials or the m Of the private In
dividuals who have sought to interfere
with him.
Speak, Mr.. Folk, tell the people Of
St. Louis the names Of those persons
who have stood in your way? True. Of
course, corrupt public servants ant
tLose who have engaged In corruption
have employed able counsel and hav'
resorted to legal delays and subter
fuges to keep themselves from beinl
brought to the bar Of Justice. 1t II
but natural that they should have don't
SO, That has always been done. II yoI
call that retarding your work, o.
standing in the way of the prosecution
of corrupt officials, | shall OF course ad
nit that 1t has been done, but II an!
man has, or If any set Of men hav'
combined together. or have as indIvid
uals, sought to hinder the progress o
your work, you owe 1t to the public t
give II their and to hold then
up to public seorn in the same wa,
that you have given to the publ
names and held up to the public indig
nation and condemnation other offend
ing citizens.
| ask you, MI. Folk, to give the nam
Of one public official in the City of 81
Luis who has held back or who ha
not on the contrary given you ever,
assistance within his power? II yol
have not received the support which
claim came to you from every hand
v should yourself deny the statement
as you alone can make the charge wit
propriety. II you fail to deny the as
sertions which | make, that you hav
received faithful support at all times
then | and all others with me have tn
right to believe that you have not bee
retarded or interfered with in you
work. IL your reply is to the effec
that you have not received proper sup
port, give us the names Of the person
who failed to support you? Tell tn
public the methods they pursued to re
tard your work, or take the honorabl
course and say that throughout thi
whole work OF the prosecution of hood
ling you have had nothing put praise
nothing but adulation, nothing but fla,
terry, nothing but homage. nothing bu
assistance. from all classes and all type
of our people. / want again to charg
that the statements OF insinuation
that the public officials Of our City o
our private citizens have not rendere
you every possible assistance, are falls
and should have been publicly denie
by you.
DOODLE AS AN ISSUE.
Doodle has not been a Democrat
or Republican question. Boodlers VIII
were elected by Republicans and hood
lers who were elected by Democrat
have been discovered, indicted and con
victed. There Is no politics in tn
question. There are honest and dis
honest men in both parties. the pro
portion Of dishonest to honest men 4
: each belngcopparatively small. | woul
not charge that any political party is III
party Of boodlers, nor would | charg
, that any per cent, no matter how com
p~aratively small. represented a sent
> ment in favor Of dishonesty In publ
officials.
! In order TO make boodling either
State OF a city Issue it must first be
! shown that the administration Of Rol
4 = a