The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-02

proposed sale failed. because OF u wise pro-
| vision of the City Charter foroiddinE uncon-
| ditiona! alienation.
! Courthouse with the SiIded dome. They
| though, Of selling that. They hoped 10 OBJ
| tain $1,000 apiece for their votes on this.
| They were going To give the Courthouse
| away. that is the city was to get nothing
! for il except Two top stories free of rent in
/ a large office building 10 he erected This
| limiting the use 10 courthouse purposes. else
to revert TO the original owners.
Then they concluded To sell the Union
| Market. but the market men had consider
| able political influence With This and the
| sum OF $1,000 they raised and paid the MEM
! hers. they succeeded in stopping the sale
/, Then came the exposure. Now some OF
/ these representatives are fUgitiVcS from jl'S-
tice in foreign countries. Others have turncS!
| States evidence. the remainder have faced
| iuries and eighteen of these eivers and TAX
cling from two TO seven years in the Pcni-
tertiary.
THIEVES ELECTED
AS LAWMAKERS.
Doesn't 1t seem strange that a free peo-
pie should elect thieves TO be the makers
of their laws If these things had taken
place in the mediu evaI ages We would have
narve!ed at it. What must We think when
We reflect that all this occurred in the great
EltliCILI!S OF our own Stdl'. III our nNii
town? Such IS the city.
Have You in the country done much bet
ter in selecting your representatives.? The
Lieutenant Governor of the State has con-
fesSed to more hGod!ing than i was thought
possible for one man to commit
The honor OF the State has been peddled
around by the seekers Of brihes in return
for Official influence.
The Lieutenant Governor himself distrihII-
uted Drihe money amongst certain Senator'S
''Thousand-d bills have been caught
sight Of here and there win Senator's in hot
pursuit. Lawmakers have confessed 10
huOd!ing extending through period OF
twelve years, Indication that legislation has
been bought and sold Xix. merchandise.
When business was duh these representa-
tivos of the p.Op!. would send one of their
numner to start the ''driftwood" down the
legislative stream. They would be light
ed to receive message from their emissary.
River rising fast: driftwood coming down;
he here tomorrow" 'Driftwood" was
their word for bribe money.
"I"t these officials considered themselves
hnrrst. II L. related of a Senator tina: lie
sold his vote on pending measure for 800
receiving tn bribc in one bill. Re took the
tram ON mis- way nome. Havn" to ride all
night. he engaged sleeping car. While he
tainin. The 500 bT.iha Tnoucv When IN.
senator a|ok" the next mornin" and die
covered his loss he was INDIGNANT Suspect
ing the porter. he had that person called
before him and accused of the larceny. The
porter hccame frightened. confessed ana r.'=
turned III" money. The Senator handed the
porter a fvedollar bin. saving. I could
send you to the Penitentiary for This, but
| Will not do Instead | give Won this
advice. which you should keep in mind tn.
rest of Your life: Wherever YOU may be- UNI
der any and all circumstances. remember
that honesty is the best policy These are
only a few instances Of cOrruption. / can
not in This brief address moro than give
a lint idea of the real rottenness that ex-
istod. The story of corruption in ST. Louis
and in Missouri az revealed by sworn ties
timcny. would fill volumes.
HONEST CITIZENS SHOULD
BLUSH WITH SHAME
These revelations should bring The blush
Of shame to honest citizens for having per-
mitted such a state Of affairs to exist
Where Will the end be" VIII The people
rule. or will they SrIirsly permit themselves
to he further ieeced until the time comes
when II will hc too late 81 protest? ST
Louis and Missouri are hut Two types of
what sonc other cities and States are If
ih"v We're exposed as corruption has been
laid bare here.
''Thcrc arc many problems confront
Ing the American people to-day. hut
there Is none more serious than the
subject of the eradication of bribery.
Other questions concern the functions
of government. while bribery UNDER
mines the foundation of government
ftseIf. Under our form of government
NIL authority is vested In the people.
and by them delegated to those who
represent them. Every power pos
scssed by an Omcin! belongs not to
him. hut to the people who gave 1t
in trust. to be Administered for the
public good. not for private Enin. IL
there be ofrensc greater than all
others. il is that of him in whom such
n sacred trust has been renOscd. who
sells II for his own gain and enrich
ment. He il worse than the thief, for
he not only plumbers. but violates his
trust. lie II worse thnn murderer.
for the murderer takes the life of an
Individual, while the corrupt official
aims at the assassination of the COM
mOnwcnIth.
"Bribcry. II allowed to go on. would
he fatal to the civic life of any PcO-
pie.
mo Government cnn long exist
where it is tolerated. If NIL official
nets were for snlc. then VIC would
have not Government of and for the
people. but "a Government of and Tor
the few with wealth enough to pur-
chase Official favOrs.
Other offenses violate the law. while