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

| spoke a. follows:
Your committee has requested me
to speak I o you on Good Government.
This IL an appropriate subject for La
Dor day. for the working man has a pc
culiar Interest in good government.
Good government rests upon the proper
exercise OF the ballot. The ballot Is the
most precious possession Of the work
ingman. II Is a mighty power, right
fully exercised, in protecting the rights
Of the masses against the encroachment
OF greed. Labor Is pre-eminent In the
Industrial fabric Of free government;
IT stands AT the base of our progress
and Development. without labor, cap
ital would be useless, and II is other
wise true, that capital gives oppor-
tunity TO labor. Corporations of labor
are as necessary incidents of advanced
civilization as corporations Of capital
Each has rights which the other should
respect. and rights the government
must protect.
The chief end and aim OF all gov
eminent is the welfare of its citizens.
The most that can he obtained out or
life is happiness. The laboring man
who is happy ana cOntentcd is more to
be cuyied than the richest mar in the
world whose conscience with injustice
Is corrupted. Coed government rests,
not on the wealth Of citizens, but on
their integrity. Wealth alone does not
make a state great, neither Toes labor
alone, but the character Of tne citizen
does. After all Is said, it Is the MAJ
that counts.
There Is an individual responsibility
Tor the affairs Of government that many
fail - realize. There IL o much OF a
disposition in many 10 allow others TO
90 the face sweating in civic affairs
while thcy do the bread eating. NO
class OF citizens exercise their civic du-
ties more conscientiou3ly. as a rule,
than those who earn their living by the
toll Of their hands. II all others were
as Jealous IN exercising the privileges
, Of citizenship, there would be leas cor
ruption in public LIE. Indeed, II the
labprtr in the shop. and the farmer IN
The field, were as Indifferent to civic
duties az the princes of in
the great centers OF population, free
government could not long exist. The
!aboring man Is sometimes imposed up
on by designing persons, bnt 50 are all
people. They arc as capable OF taking
care of themselves as any other citizen,
and though they MAKE mistakes, as all
humans do, nowhere Is civic virtue heiu
In higher regard than in the heart Of
me average wOrkingman.
The toii:ng masses are the bench
Charles OF good government. and II they
want it hard and long enough, they
can get it. Ours Is a government OF
the DeODle-the people are sovereign;
each man Is IA constituent part of SOW
ereignty on the throne OF American
manhood. In constructing this great
, government our foreia,hcrs exercised
"A wisdom unsurpassed In the annals OF
mankind. They furnished a republic
. guaranteeing rights TO the citizen
. never obtained or exercised By any
; other people. The safety Of The re
V public has been menaccd, but wise men
- have sicrred the ship Of state into a
' peaceful harbOr Official corruption Is
the most dangerous enemy 10 free gov
eminent. On this rock, nearly all Inc
= republics ui other days hh|" gone
Il down. The stamping out Of public cor
> rupt!Ou Is an honor 20 "A state. The
,ear Just passed has given 10 ever
!. MisyOurian the right 10 hold his heat
higher as a citizen OF the state which
e Is taking the lead in cradica'inS GIVE
evils. The vast disclosures OF venaiitN
In city and state have startled tn
world, and have brought on the people
Al Of Missouri credit for what has beer
X done, and grave responsibilities for tn
N future. We must show, not a slight
~ but a well nigh unreasonable kn
al provement. The revelations have beer
le shocking and hum!liating 10 good citi
RI zens; the process OF cutting out IN
!. cancerous growth from the body poll
tic has been painful, but 1t was IN
~ only honest and patriotic curse /
of pnraue. and now, the people must d
or something about II, else all that ha
g. been lone will avail nothing. In
n disease has been checked and now tn
n people must do their part. IL this grea
u state with its glorious history, with II
memories OF illusirious statesmen, an
soldiers who nave added lustre to IN
pages of Our country's history, Bhoul
shrink back from the task, then
a. might well be believed that the d'
cadence Of the public conscience has b
gun. Things must not be allowed I
run in the old ruts again. Let thel
bs be a reign of law and OF civic homo
The name Missouri should be ma
the synonym for civic r~iShtcousne'
=. This can be done If the people Wi
n aud every citizen can be made 10 ic
or The responsibility resting upon h!r