Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-09-17

1 hhspouou tnem0oiNe8 on tho state.
We are told corruption exists In
other States. That is probably true,
but We viii let the people Of other
States do their own house cleaning
while we attend to Missouri. Let Mis-
souri, show" the other States and set
an example for them 70 follow. Let
us make Missouri the first OF all the
States in civic righteousness,
While other cities may have been as
corrupt as 81. Louis, and other States
afflicted with as many dishonest ON
cials as Missouri, 1t is true that at no
time or place has so much corruption
been laid bare as here. II seemed to be
the usual and accepted thing. In st.
Louis franchises were sold unblush-
ingly by oficials, the money going not
into the city treasury, but into the
itching palms Of these public pilferers.
No bill Of consequence passed the mu-
nlcipal assembly unless the members
we're paid for their votes. The people
of ST. Louis elected thieves to be the
makers of laws for them. In State az
fairs dishonest legislators have sold
their votes to q scandalous extent The
next higher oficial in State govern.
ment betrayed his party and his peo-
pie and turned out to be a boodIer.
Legislators made commodity Of laws
and passed or defeated bills for their
own gaia, not for public good. They
Haunted their corruption In the faces
Of the people and outraged every sense
Of honor and decency.
The responsibility rests on the peo-
pie of correcting this state Of afHairs.
Unless the people do something about
| 1t, all these disclosures viii be of no
avail. The epidemic of bribery has
been checked, now the people must
do their part. No man who has the
welfare of his State at heart can af-
ford now not to take an active part
and interest in public affairs. If the cor.
ruptlonists are ever to be annihilated
in Missouri, now is the accepted time
to do 1t. II is not likely that so much
ammunition to use against public
plunderers will be found again for
years to come. Every citizen has a
work to do in this critical period Of
the States history The good or i'll
GlGCl9 Va llit bObNllG hlDClObuIEh III
Missouri depends upon what the peo-
pie do about it. Let the action Of the
people be such that the name mis-
souri," will stand for civic honor every
where.
The first duty Of the people in each
county should be to elect to the gen
eral assembly only men Of high in
tegrity, men who can be honest in ac-
ton. No man who is in the slightest
degree tainted with the influences of
| corruption should be trusted, mo- mat
ter how capable he may be. We do not
need so much brilliancy and wit in
legislative AFFAIRS, but we do need more
common everyday honesty. No abil-
| ity in public official can compensate
: for dishonesty. Insiucerity on the part
of public offlciai is q species of dis
| honesty The man who denounces cor
uuption in public and then In private
makes secret alliances with corrup-
tiDnists H. not apt to be Of much benel
| fit to the people in official position.
The people are, entitled to honest treat
ment and the practice OF political pgn-
ties putting planks in platforms merely
| to catch votes, should be- condemned.
The principle should be recognized that
honesty is the best policy in public and
| private life! DO not elect a. legislator
whose private character will not bear
the closest scrutiny. Evil win come
| out sooner or later. 10 a. mans private
character be bad. 1t will show itself in:
time in public life.
An official does not have tor steal
from the treasury in order to be dis.
honest. IL he appTopriates to his own
use the powers which he holds i'm trust
to be exercised for public good. he is
just as dishonest as If he were to put
his hands into the public treasury and
filch from 1t the public money.
In the beginning OF our government,
1t was found that public AFFAIRS could
not be wen administered without party
organizations. Tt is through parties
that men come to an agreement as to
public policies and announce their
principles and intentions. One man
may be Just as honest and jNst as pa
triotic as another, yet they may
differ on governmental questions.
| accord to all others the right
to think as they please ON public mat
tiers. but for my part I believe in the
teachings of Thomas Jeffersca Tor
i which the Democratic party stands 10
day. Equal and exact justice to an
special privileges to none" should be
the golden text of free government
and it embraces all the doctrines Of
true Democracy, Parties are made for
the public. The interests Of the public
must always come before party. Sc
long as the Democratic party, for In
stance, serves the public better thar
any other party. II is entitled 70 and
should receive public confidence ant
support. Public omcials are usually
placed in once BY party organization
> TO be the servants Of the public, no
simply party agents. One may be in pri
/, Vate life Democrat or q Republican
bat when he steps into public once, hi
should, IN the exercise OF his oficla