The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-16
DOODLE AND BALLOT.

Because the Missouri Idea typ!ti"S Il great prin-
ciple Of public right it is destined 10 play large
part in the politics of 1904 throughout the nation.
The Missouri Idea applied nationally means reno
walton and reconstruction of Federal functions; a
destruction of the iriquitous machine influences
thrown around those functions publication of the
governmental atmosphere and environments II
the rehabilitation Of the principle of integrity
and dsinteresteiness i'll administration; the essen
tally and vitality democratic standard Of govern
ment for the people,"
The spontaneous growth Of the national Doodle
issue has come out of countrywide conditions in
timately felt by the population. and understood.
The peoples experience makes for its strength as
issue it possesses the force of appeal; il is
cent it is live; it grows; it home to the in
dividual: it touches profound American convictions.
That it is fairly established an issue must be
past cavil to the intelligent eye.
That conditions, the same which forced it. are
the more securely fastening 1t upon the politics of
the day cannot be disputed in the face Of the daily
In all parts of the United States frauds
coming to light in the postal service: Investigations
point to ugly situation in the Interior Depart
ment military affairs exhibit unwholesome phases;
State Investigations have brought out variety of
official crimes. The country Is eruping. as 1t We're.
criminal disclosures. The area Of disturbance daily
wdens. Prosecutions, examinations, Investigations
increase in number. But the situation, generally
speaking. is only yet in the developmental stage.
In viewing the scope and variety OF official
wrongdong sense of perspective and proportion
should be preserved. There is by no means ca
amity amounting to plague of dishonesty upon us;
the honest official predominates in numbers; official
dom is not fundamentally corrupt; but the indica-
tions point to sufficiently grave conditions to war
rant radical cure They are dark with menace
of future evil, unless presently and powerfully
treated. Their threatening significance cannot be
exaggerated however comparatively superficial the
immediate present hurt and damage. The pub
lie has fair realization Of the future danger.
The public attitude toward the manifestations
of corruption is the big political fact of this time.
1t will be with solid opposition to corruption that
the people go to the polls to vote on national ques
lions in 1904, and victory will probably be with
them.
Six months or more ago the Republican party put
itself upon the defensive. 1t foresaw the political
effects of scandal Developments and Mr.. Roosevelt
began issuing proclamatons for the purpose OF
forestallng them His late remarks subjoned to the
Bristow report and his bribery message are fairly
construed attempts to dvest the party of respon-
sibility and to weaken the political import Of the
revelations But no amount Of such utterances can
to blind the people to the real position Of the
party upon the issue or destroy the logic Of the
situatlon-the Republican party organization has
fostered systematic corruption and nothing can re-
eve it of the political consequences Certainly the
time remaining until the party shall be called to
does not permit of reform activities of suf
fcient magnitude to acquit the party before the
people. The sum total result Of the entire reform
agitation thus far is but handful of indictments
very little upon which to base ponderous party
promises