Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-21
MISSOURI POLITICS
Democratic Machine Is Terri
fled by Dist. Atty. Folk.
Fear It Will Have to Name Honest
Man for Governor.
RepubIicanism Looking Up in the Old
Bourbon State.

| Kansas City, Mo-, Sept. 20.-Politics
| in Missouri is now more interesting
than usual. Joseph w. Folk, prosecut-
| ing attorney at st. Louis, is the central
| figure in the Missouri situation, a man
whose personality and political fortunes
absorb the attention of both Republi-
cans and Democrats. Joe Folks fight
against corruption in st. Louis, follow
| cd by his work in exposing the rotten
ness in the Missouri Legislature, has
made him not only the most'prominent
figure in the State, but to a degree in
national politics.
Folk is a Democrat who had the
manhood and courage to attack graft
even in his own party. The natural re-
suit is the demand of the rank and file
and of the Missouri Democracy for his
nomination for Governor to succeed
Dockery. The election will not be held
| until 1904. but already the question
whether Folk shall or shall not be NOM
mated for Governor has stirred the
| Democrats and caused the Republicans
to take counsel as to what course they
shall pursue.
The machine Democrats are opposed
to Folks nomination. He has exposed
and prosecuted too many of their num-
Der to win their approval. Secretly
they resent his interference and they
fear him. They appreciate that a:
Governor he would be independent an(
| as fearless as he has been as prosecutor
in st. Louis They hate, as do all
machine men, the independent, brave,
honest man. They would not nominate.
him, and they may not but they dread
the wrath of an aroused public, and
fear that il they do not name him. the
Republicans may. They know such,
nomination would mean his election
and with it the destruction of tie ma
chime. The Republicans are conyinc-s
ed that the Democrats, no matter how
dsagreeable taste it will have in theil
mouths, will finally decide to nominate
Folk for Governor. Upon that hypoth-
esis they are considering these lines OF
conduct. They admire Folk and are in
clined to believe that he should have
some reward for his work. *
The first proposition is to indorse7
Folks nomination by the Democrats
With Folk as the Republican candidate
his election would be practically uflani-
nous. and be splendid declaration for
purity in office and of approval of his,
fearless course: a rebuke to grating
and corruption. But there is some fear
of the effect of this on Republcansln
in Missouri. Many Republicans fear il
would be bad politics and would take
some other step.
The second idea is to make no Guber-
Material nomination. The effect would
be much the same-it would be a semi
Endorsement of Folk, hut would not
make him the Republican candidake
Many favor this.
The third thought is to nominate q
full State ticket, if some honorable man
can, be found willing to sacrifice him
self. The Republicans who fear to
make a Democrat their candidate or to
seem to indorse him, prefer this course
But, in any event, the idea would be to
make the fight against the Democracy,
not on the Governorship, but on the re-
malnder of the ticket No decision will
be mand, however, until it is known
definitely what the Democrats will do
The Republicans would really rejoice to
have the Democrats fail to nominate
Folk, but they have no hope their op-
ponents will pursue such a fatuous
poliCy