The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-10-10
THE M'LEOD LETTER.

The letter sent out from the 81.
Louis Folk bureau to county editors
and others last week by N. w. Mcleod
secretery OF the bureau was as follows:
St. Louis, Sc eptember, 28, 1908.
"Dear Slr-Although II is conceded
that 80 per cent of the Democratic
voters OF Missouri are for Joseph W.
Folk for governor certain unscrupu.
lous political manipulators loudly boast
that they will be BILE to defeat Folk
by .hievery, thuggery aud trickery in
the large cities OF the state. If the
honest yeomanry of Missouri are act
i've, however, all the powers of evil
cannot prevail.
"Mr. Folk is democrat who sup
ported the Chicago and Kansas City
platforms, and believers in the princi-
Piles therein enuncisted. Because his
official record is admired and approved
by all good citizens, regardless of par
ty, we hear 1t said that the democrats
do not want a man who has friends IN
the opposition party. Heretofore the
man who could poll the most votes
from the opposition was considered the
strongest candidate. Senator Cockrell
for instance, is strong with the voters
of both parties; he always gets
heavy republican vote. This is his
strength, not his weakness. Yet some
might claim that the Democrats do
not want a man who is popular with
all class.
1.-THE question now is, can the dem
ocratic party afford to let the boodlers
select the democratic ticket? Hon.
est democrats have right to be suspi-
cious OF man like Mr.. Reed who is
popular with the boodlers. Mr. Folk
is the hated enemy of the booders.
HIS nomination would be the most Bit
ter dose that could be gwen to the
boodlers of Missouri.
"The crowd opposing Mr.. Folk are
dominated largely by Doodle inAu-
ences. They are not good democrats,
for they would prefer to have the state
| 60 republican than to have Folk elected
governor. II they cannot control the
party they will try to wreck it, The
bitterness of their opposition, and the
conspicuous disregard of truth they
display in their opposition shows this.
Look around you in your own country
and see the class of fellows opposing
Mr.. Folk. and draw your own conclu-
sions.
"Mr. Folk can poll 100000 more
votes than any other man who would
be nominated. With HIM at the head
of the democratic ticket all the close
counties would go democratic. What
would be the effect if the party obeys
the command of the corruptionists and
turns Mr.. Folk down, and thereby re-
pudiates the idea of honest government
hat be represents? There IS not a pol
ticlan in the state who does not know
that the defeat of Mr.. Folk would mean
disaster to the party. Yet some of
them seem to be trying to bring about
this result.
"Mr. Folk has made no promise Of
any kind. He has said be would rot
have the Office of governor unless he
could be free and untrammeled 10 do
his duty to the people and his party.
Yours truly, N. W. Mcleod. I"
Mr.. Folk was asked by representa-
tive of the Kansas City Star, II he cared
to make any statement IN relation to
the Mcleod letter. He said
81 will not announce my position un-
till reach St. Joseph October "a. /
have an engagement to deliver speech
on that date aud will then make known
my plans on the gubernatorial cam
paign. The letter sent by Mr.. Nc
Leod to the country editors was, un-
derstand, personal one, and not iu-
tended for publication. Mr.. Mcleod
is not my campaign manager. L
would rather not at this time enter in
to any discussion of the subject. For
me to announce my position now
would be placing the cart before the
horse as have not yet been presented
as candidate"
For Gale