The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-01-08
PREMEDITATED ATTACK
ON FORMER GOV. STONE.
In o Letter 10 O Personal Friend He
Explains the Object Of the Move.
ment and Its Leaders.

The following letter written by
former Governor Stone to Il per
sonal friend in this county explains
itself AT the request of the Joplin
Globe the gentleman receiving the
letter consents to its publication.
ST. Louis, Mo, Dee, 10, 1902,
My dear sir:-For your kind letter
OF the Sth inst. thank you. You ask
what the meaning is OF these attacks
being made upon me by certain republic
can and seni-rcpublican newspapers
and certain individuals, who is back of
it all, what are they trying to accom-
plish, etc. | cannot answer you as
clearly as would like but | can give
you some information That the attacks
were premeditatcd and pre.arranged
is certain, and that there is some NOV
i;g force behind 1t is equally certain.
The attacks were opened simultan-
eously in St. Louis and Kansas City and
have been carried along the same lines
with such concert of action as to leave
no doubt that the whole thing was pre-
arranged.
A few days before the November cleo
ton, while was campaigning in the
northwest, my attention WAS called TO
an article in the Kansas City Journal
to .hc effect that If the democrats carried
the Legislature a concerted movement
would be made to dcfest my election to
the senate; that furious personal attack
would he made ON me with a view to
furnishing an excuse to men who had
been instructed to vote for me not TO do
so, and that every possible means would
be resorted to to accomplish my defeat,
and it was prophesied that | would be
defeated If leader could be found upon
whom the opposition could he concen-
trated. About the close of the campaign
a reputable and prominent man brought
me a message from distinguished
citizen Of another state, who was cam
paigning in Missouri under the auspices
of our state committee, to the effect that
a certain prominent Missouri politician,
who had been campaigning with the
gentleman in question, had said that a
scheme was on foot to defeat me il pos
siDle after the election in November was
over, and the gentleman who sent the
message directed the bearer of it to say
that, in his opinion, the politician who
talked OF the scheme seemed to know
too much about il not to be part OF it.
He sent me word, also, that while he
preferred not to become personally in
volved i'll a controversy Of this nature
outside OF his state, he would speak
publicity il it became necessary. Other
things more or less similar came to my
knowledge in the closing days OF the
campaign.
Because of these things was not sur
prised when the attacks YOU allude to
were commenced here and in Kansas
City. The character of the fight you
know. Every personal and political
enemy have has been enlisted to give
such aid and comfort as he can to the
cause" Every possible effort has
been, and is being made to create senti-
ncnt against me. Newspapers have
printed false and scurrilous interviews
with gentlemen concerning me-''in-
terviews" which have been promptly IT"
pudiated by those interviewed" !
have been misrepresented and lied
about, and all sorts of things have been
charged me. do not now certainly |
know who is pulling the strings and di-
recting the fight, although | have some
strong suspicious, | think the face of
The man, now hidden, who hopes to
be benefited by this fusillade of filth
will appear in due time. unless his cour-
age shall fail him at the crucial test
The purpose of the fight is clear.
it was hoped that such
Juror could be raised as might defeat
my nomination by the democratic legis-
Iative caucus, but / ain satisfied that
that p art of the program has been aban-
doned. The scheme now seems to be TO
induce enough democratic senators and
to stay out Of the caucus,
Or to refuse to abide by it, to prevent my
election. know that gentlemen have
been approached upon this subject and
limitations have been rather broadly
given that a course Of that kind might
be made profitable to those who would
undertake it. From what have heard
am satisfied that there are men who
stand ready to do anything to accom-
plish my defeat, but just what may be
attempted remains to be seen. am not
myself very much about it.
II am elected to the senate will try to
come up to the high measure of useful
ness you think can attain, but II am
defeated, no matter how, / shall continue
10 serve my party and country as best
,an. / have been through too many of
.hese fights to bother myself much
about this one. l go tonight to DeKalb
county to DO what l can to help our
party friends in the special election to be
held there next Saturday. In the eyes
II some Of some Of those who are assail-
ng me presume this party service in
he dead OF winter will he an additional
,ffense on my part. Your friend,
VIM. J. STONE.