The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-21
FOLK OF MISSOURI.
Splendid Work in Convicting Boodlers May
Make Him Available Presidential Timber.
(The Louisville Courier-Journal.)

The latest dark horse to edge his way,
as it were, into the paddock, has still a
year before him to make record. Meth
err Mr.. Tilden nor Mr.. Cleveland had
much more. If the Hon. Joseph w. Folk,
of st. Louis, be nominated and elected by
the Democrats to the Governorship of
Missouri, he will occupy very much the
position occupied by Mr.. Tilden in 1876.
Whether Mr.. Folk and his friends are
able to improve the opportunity, as Mr..
Tllden and his friends were able to do,
is referrable to future contingencies.
Whether Mr.. Folk himself, is another
Tllden, or even approximately UP to the
Presidential attitude, is a question we
have no means yet of deciding But, in
the prevailing chaos, it is conceivable that
he may come to be In the running even
without nomination and election as
Governor of Missouri. Mr.. Bryan had
no such lead, or backing, in 1896. That
the idea is being canvassed, we gather
from the following, which we find in
The Republican of st. Louis, a Demo-
cratic newspaper supposed to have Gov
ernor Francis as its first choice. We
quote:
Politicians. both Democrats ard Re
pubhcans, are figuring on Circuit At
torney Joseph w. Folks future. There
is probably not an office-seeker in the
State who is not wondering what effect
the Doodle prosecutor will have upon his
own prospects.
Most OF the gossip has to do with
Folks chances of securing the Demo
cratic nomination for Governor, or rather
OF its being offered to HIM by a movement
H., -. .
State. So far he has not announced his
candidacy, and it is not probable ,nat he
VIII do so. He refused to be quoted or to
acknowledge that he is anticipating a
gubernatorial career, simply stating that
he has enough to keep him busy at the
present time, without worrying about the
future.
yet his friends are interested in the
political situation. He is himself, per-
haps, not so far removed from human
susceptibilities that he is not thinking of
the years possibilities.
Between the lines there is some sug
gestive reading here. No one can ever
predict just what a body of dscredited
politicians will do when scared into the
need of doing something which will look
like doing their duty. The career of
Folk has been thus far exceptional and
bears the earmarks OF having a future
before it.
There seems to have been meaning,
if not kind of destiny, in his election
to the Circuit Attorneyship. We are as
sured that he did not want the office. He
wished for nothing better than to con-
tinue a successful law practice. But, in
spite of this, the gang which ruled st.
Louis, feeling that he would be an easy
going official, forced the nomination up
on him. He accepted it only after the
declaration that If elected he would dis
charge his duties fearlessly, without die
tation from any quarter. This the gang
thought was only campaign chatter, but
three weeks after Mr. Folk took the oath
he discovered that the grossest corrup-
ton prevailed in almost all departments
of the city government. So Injured were
the officials to the practice of bribery that
it was considered joke. Folk did not
see any humcr in it. On the contrary, he
set himself to work to procure evidence
and to prosecute the guilty, friend and
foe alike. The politicians laughed at the
idea, but the Circuit Attorney persisted
AS he got nearer the seat of rottenness
the DOO0lefS began TO ADVISE, coax anu
finally to threaten him. Finally, he dis
covered the great Suburban Railway con-
spiracy to manipulate traction franchises
so as to shake down" the traction com
pany for $135, 900. The deal was almost
the money was put III safe
deposit boxes for delivery to the ring
members, when Folk, armed with full
authority, raided the boxes, captured the
funds, compelled the company's agents to
divulge facts in the case and began a
single handed crusade against the gang"
that has commanded the admiration of
law abiding citizens the country over.
and Assemblymen fed from
the city only to be captured, returned and
convicted. The magnitude of the corrup-
ion staggered belief, but the Circuit At
torney went right through with it, even |
the arch ringleader and en-
gineer OF bribery, the Bill Tweed of st.
Louis corruption. person by the name
Of Butler
No opposition, no threat, no bride, could |
lissuade him from his course so that
lcw his influence is felt in State as we'll |
rs local affairs Charges of corruption in
he Missouri Legislature aroused investi- |