Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-09-24

enactment of a statute forfeiting the
franchises and rights of any corpora
ton which is guilty of bribery. l go
further and advocate the enactment
of a statute, or if necessary, an
amendment to the constitution, for
feiting to the State the property OF
the corporation so convicted. 1t goes
without the saying that the processes
of the Criminal Courts should be
used against every institution or in
dividual, however great or powerful,
guilty of bribery.
NOT NEW FORMED OPINIONS.
These are my opinions. They are
not new formed notions. Perhaps l
may be pardoned for stating as the
ground of nay belief that the lobby
can be driven from the State Capitol,
the experience of Kansas City. The
reference is somewhat personal and
possibly could be better stated by
another; but L disclaim any special
credit. l simply performed my duty
as | understood it and would have been
untrue to my constituents and to my
| self had | done less.
Very briefly then. Kansas City
once had a powerful lobby. 1t was
old and experienced and had in
fluential adherents, the support OF
two great newspapers, and was back
ed by more than $50, 100000 OF cap
ital.
A few hours before the newly elect
ed democratic administration took Of
flee in 1900 the old Republican coun-
Gil extended the franchises OF the
Street Railway Company to twenty
five years, and undertook to release 1t
from the obligations of it's former con
tracts. Fortified behind these grants
the company defied interference. The
contest between the lobby and the
city lasted for more than two years
and forced me to stand for reelection.
The result in the end was a complete
triumph for the people. The Street
Railway Company of Kansas City now
pays into the city treasury 8 per cen
of it's gross earnings. The best estl
mates place the amount to be pald
during the term of its franchise at
more than 100000 in excess OF
what was required under the terms OF
it's franchises granted by the Repub
lican city administration. The com
pany has agreed to do street paving
which will cost, during the life of its
franchise, not less than $2,000,0OO. II
has given universal transfers. 1t con
tracted to expend millions in the con
struction of extensions and in pro
viding modern equipment and II
agreed to do many other things te
which | will not refer, The reslii
of these contests is that the lobby
has disappeared from Kansas City.
I have been accused of painting the
Landscape and describing the beauties
of Missouri sunsets. The after dinner
speech quoted from was made two
years ago in the State OF Virginia
when responded to the toast Mis-
souri," I still stand by what | thel
said. | know it is not pleasant read
ing for those who hate Missouri. Blu
sirs, would rather paint Missouri
landscapes and girdle them with sum
mer's choicest flowers and rares
fruits; | would rather sing the praises
of her virtuous mothers and homes
sires, than to describe her as a moras
of iniuuity, exhaling the foul stencil
Of crime, even though l could SCI
sprouting from that same swamp tn
fairest flower of my ambition.
| would rather praise than denounc'
nv State. | prefer the office of eulo
gist to that of detractor. No n oh
! iects to the plain truth being told
No one wants to hide a crime o
shield a single villainy, but l do pre-
test against the charge that the Gen
eral Assembly as a whole is rotte1
and corrupt, because four out OF IT
l stand accused.
do protest against charges s.
l framed as to reflect upon the entir
l Democratic administration which ha
) rendered honest service. / do pre-
| test against those who bespatter wit
| slanderous filth the ermine Of tn
Judges of our courts, because the,
have declared that men shall be trie
according to the forms of law.
emphatically protest agains
charges so vague that reply is in
: possible, yet SO general and sweepin
: as to give the impression that Mis-
souri, is a den of iniquity in whic,
the serpents of corruption make thei
: home, and honest men cannot b
found.
The Democratic party has give
r Missouri good government. The grea
mass of Missouri's officials have bee
in%corruptible. No n should indis
}, c%riminately condemn the innocent wit
!, the guilty or seek to profit by az
pensions upon the characters OF hor
est men. We need not despair.
t The world yet holds it's course; tn
9 seasons come and go; the people sti
J. will do their duty by the State, an
honest men can still be found. TIL
Y grand old State is safe. We nee
l not yet adopt the philosophy of tn
e %Scotchman who said, "Sandie, | hav
Q concluded that there are but two hol
est men in the world, you and mt
Sandie, and somes time, Sandie,
doubt you"
ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY 70
GOVERNOR.
3 The office of Chief Executive Of tn
9 State of Missouri is al exalted pos
ton, worthy of the highest ambitio
! of any citizen. 1t affords an oppo
s tunity for useful public service an
has heen Worthily filled under ma.