Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1903-05-14
SECRETARY STATE S. B. COOK
Discusses the Prosecution of Boodlers
in St. Louis and Jefferson City

Secretary Of State s. b. Cook is In
Mexico with bis wife to attend the
annual meeting of the Alumn@ of
Hardin College. In discussing the
prosecution OF the boodlers in st.
Louis and Jefferson City, Mr.. Cook
said:
''The effect, so far as the State is
concerned, will be to effectually stamp
out boodling in the Legislature.
"Wha the effect will be in St Louis
is not so clear. 1t is a tremendous
task to rid a great city of municipal
corruption.
"The result on the whole, however,
is bound TO be beneficial to the public,
ia both State and city.
"a feature OF the prosecution which
would be amusing, If the conditions
were not so grave, is the attitude Of
the Republican partisan newspapers.
"To read the Globe Democrat, those
not familiar with the facts would
naturally suppose that all the bood-
lers were Democrats, and that the
Republican party was, and has been
for years, making desperate efforts to-
save the State from ruin.
"The truth is, the corruption In st.
Louis was committed under the
ziegenhein administration, which the
people OF that city drove from power
two years ago. The administration Of
Mayor Wells has not been implicated,
in the least, in these offenses.
'At Jefferson City the Grand Jury,
composed Of both Republicans and
Democrats, returned four indictments
against State Senators, and, Of the
four, three are Republicans.
"When Mr.. Folk began the bood-
ling prosecutions, the Globe Democrat
declared it a partisan persecution, and
endeavored to discredit the efforts of
the Circuit Attorney.
''The Democratic party, through its
chosen officers, is making an honest
effort to rid the State of boodling; the
Republican party, through its news
papers, is making dishonest effort to
evade responsibility for is own bood-
lers.
"During the thirty years that the
Democrats have been in power in Mis-
souri,, its State officials have handled
more than one hundred and fifty |
OF dollars, and every cent Of |
it has been honestly accounted for. |
This record is the forceful answer
Democrats have to make to the tirade
Of falsehoods which a viciously par
tisan press constantly heaps upon our
State Government.
"During the eight years Of Republi- |
can rule in Missouri, State securities
aggregating more than twenty-five
of dollars were corruptly |
squandered by Legislature over
Republican in both
branches, and the transaction was ap-I
proved by Republican governor.
"There was Republican Attorney
General, and a Republican Circuit
Attorney at st. Louis, in office then;
the proof was conclusive that one
hundred and eighty thousand dollars
was paid to pass the Missouri Pacific
steal alone, yet not an in
1lctment was found, nor single pro-
,ecution SO much as begun.
"Still, the Globe Democrat, which is
familiar with this record of
It's own party, which attempted to
liscredit Democratic officer In the
discharge of his duties in the present
st. Louis prosecution, and which
Knows that there are three Republi-
ans to one Democrat among the men
Indicted, in both city and State, has
Jhe consummate impudence to assert
that to get rid Of boodlers Missouri
must be turned over to the Republi-
,ans.
"There is as much probability Of
his as there is Of the most devoted
believers in the Christian religion
erecting a monument to infdelity.
''Only this year the people of Mis-
iouri have paid the last of the bonds
imposed upon them under Republican
nisrule. 1t is too soon after the pay
nent Of this enormous debt, aggregat-
ng, principal and interest. more than
'orty-six millions of dollars, to inveigle
IN intelligent people into again bow
ng the neck TO the Republican yoke.
Petit Jurors for June Term.