New-York tribune., 1903-04-24
CORRUPTION IN CITIES.
HOPE IN THE SITU4TION.
Municipal League Contention Hears
of MisruLe.
rsY TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRrnrsr !

purchase
ssvion il q paper OF absorbing interest covered
he whole held Of corruption in St Louis and
.ooz most hopeful view OF the future Of the city
6 regards municipal administration while w A
Frisbie. in discussing The Recent Experiences OF
Minneapolis. expressed confidence that the peo-
ple would never allow the city 10 sink again to
the depths It reached in the Ames regime.
NJ Blair's address was in part follows:
Within the last two years there have been dis
sohe5es Or as they are commonly called deals
The objects o. which Were TO obtain ooTruptly Tna-
be-y OF these the four principal ones OF such
% a ay 70 BE Szp spee1ae se nGsof as ooR gen
Ftrs1-1he Sen5raa 81 traction Deal; sonene % 5y
vas bought from the Municipal Assembly for
Ire prices paid members ranged from 5000 to
SO 90 each. II is said that this franchise sold
second-The so-called Lighting Deal scheme
gn5ls 4ie - co ssi6 a. bs Ie' ba resoId
n the man who obtained il for $4,000
'Thir6-The Suburban Deal This was scheme
h se bT6aa sss say fGdERa 70 f6f 8s IL
Folrth-The Garbage Contract Deal a scheme
se " II te So city f The + "aS ebsFs gleFe' tha Bosrd Of
Health The contract involved sum OF some some
n connection with these disclosures thirty-nine
kss been indicted four times. twice for attempted
~ fgoe q in Connection with the lighting deal
@ this time fifteen cases in all have been frled
resulting in fourteen convictions IN the remaining
csse The state was unable TO make complete proof
57--v The penalties inflicted ran from two to five
years in the penitentiary. In all the cases where
ro-v1--ions have been had appeals have been taken
q The Supreme Court where they are now pending
~ - -e-nznded ~ for new trial
TWO Of the persons indicted. Charles krafz. a
E-ight member OF the board OF directors Of the
su6-bsn Raway are g fugqges 5 ,406g TT0 'uS''e 'e
OATH OF THE CORRUPT OFFICIALS.
In the year 1889 combination was organized in
esr1 house OF the Assembly. consisting OF seven
psos II Z fhese coT6nations had its leader or
SPOKESMAN The Council combine was reprssesn!!eo s!
ron justice: that in the House by one John +;
e-,ranv Of members Of each combine thor;
oghly systerna tized scale OF prices was m@ea
= y - : Elevation in the streets TO traction and
lighting contracts Of enormous value II 1se oeve.gpe9
-ze-5e~ with solemn oath OF fealty TO each otner:
80 = zfz,fre s7DroVal upon their compact OF oe-
--avitv The oath in the following woTos: cod
nat in associating myself and in becoming EneP M
-5-75fne whenever and wherever I may be SO or
And further soleunly swear that vi! ILL., nor u a
erv pIace or time reveal the fact that there Is
combine and thai VII nol b{ cotls mn tae place at
s-v meeting Of the combine =. ~ T sbor15
reveal the fact that any person IN ms Sa 0q0lae
has re9esve < this combine TO take the forfeit
- ~ Ife ~ such manner as they may deem proper
@ sna JnS' N ~ bo5T cast into the Mississippi River
Gad ali q this DO sOieTnnly swear SO help me
Tero+ia+ions were conducted by the representa3-
ether directly with business men who we're Wing
70 meet them. through agents OF o%TGks % o@ nI
-ct@a1 privileges The principal one of these agents
ne sS rnodTati qnS-9 fooaI rnacIne Tena[labe
man. though q scant edaceton sI tba4 his 5er
sonaty is Of special interest to ne stuoe. 41 3
s. LOUIS as Scrsftsmau 9C1 built up a. successful
i sAt IS y h9-seshoefng at the same time taking
a. active part IN politics II is geneTa4y
iive-tTz votes for pay al the time o. the aoop-
don eS6 oT t9e oPP6seraSio he engaged 70 the
election returns show rejection q tne re-
cure the casting OF the agreed number OF frauou- a.
lent votes the reason OF the IalLlTe penn or small
Since that time he has continuousiy exeTIeo ,, a
e e7e-Iirg TO ofhce persons from one or both po-
jtiGa parties les TH3 o2t his plans Possessed Of great
Iat1-ral shrewdness. kind heart conspicuous ooz
% s3o a1s5 4j-,- adding TO these qualities
~ wear until II reached proportions almost Ges-
FOODS hut ehorn OF nower ard influence, pathetic
monument Of the folly Of cyl doing -..,, = NAV
~ @aiT that after the exposure Of the Suournan
deal" he quoted II The press as Gg5 Saying e Ist
re company 90 -st.- +ts+ z-tey1 he undertook
H. - s--ct cases when he had exerted the need
- s-c7-5e1ce a95 received his Zee it was his
-r- - go nome and praE that the measure might
pass" and. he added usually his prayers were
answered
n Rlair then gave full details OF the methods
n Butler and the other corruptionists in various
sozr5alo,1s transactions and Of the splendid work
n he prosecutor Nj Folk. and told Of the fusion
between the Democratic organization and Re
formers that resulted in the election OF Ro-Ia
Wells as Mayor. Of Mr.. Wells and his success. he
said:
lot the least Of his achievements consists in the
fact that, while all party considerations have neeR
g1aesTatng;y sq2oTGl' + % r @ 6ar{T orga1za
-I-r IN sucb fashion as 10 materially strengthen
ne cause OF good goVernInsat anc aeG3LiS f oi,f5
have beer unavafiing Holding the view that
fa5rs shall arise when political parties shall be
eliminated from the conduct Of municipal affairs,
10 administration can be successful without the
aid q party organization ne has: with absolute
fdeLJy 70 the public service. AFFORDED suca recog-
not only 70 insure their present cooperation in the
JEz1 me future welfare Of a party is always de-
pendent upon it's record for good administration
n public affairs.
ST. LOUIS NOT SHAMELESS.
10 account Of these events would be complete
seph ". Folk who has borne so large share IN
them. Nj Folk when elected Circuit Attorney
come from Tennessee, with but little experience az
he criminal bar Ihe men whS ,d 1ae9 o5i9 sT9oq nro 56r
Tfey believed he woGit be elected After election,
when il was found that he was imbued with that
idea now somewhat anteouated among the worst
ogs5 = 3ea7fS ret 10 the Public and then to his
party consternatica reigned among the lawnreak- @
upon him, but he stood firm. and with inhez1ole
courage and untiring energy has performed spien-
clc service 70 the city oc mis- adoption
Il IS gerEnane TO the subject 70 notice the facL
these dfrclogTres from which have been deduced a
strange and most unwarranted conclusion One