Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-08-21

Ok leBiSlatlOn.
II can not be impressed on Missouri
ans too forclbly that the good name Of
the state and her honor depends upon
their action on official corruption. This
Is the paramount issue before the peO-
pie. Some who reiec upon the penal
~ that has been eating into the civic
life of our people are pessimistic az To
the future. but ! say that when they
come face to face with the M%issOurian.
and see him in his daily life Of sturdy
honesty and recognize the sterling viz
tue Of his nature and the kind of char
actcr hat sustains 1t. built on the rock
Of principle transmitted to him by his
fathers. all doubts must disappear. for
with that reservoir of virtue to draw
from, the result of the fight for good
government can not be In doubt,
In the history of civilization, first
one nation rises and becomes the torch
bearer Of civil liberty. then another
takes It's place. Wealth can o pre-
serve a state, only the integrity Of the
citizens ran. II we do not cherish that
civic character our %forefathers left us.
we will go down as the other republics
have gone. during the flight Of time
through the ages. Man has more than
Il passive destiny. All things human
must either advance or ~retrOgrrade,
and the same Is true of governments
resting on man. Civic righteousness
carries them forward; civic depravity
destroys them, The breaking of a span
may wreck "A bridge; the track of an
earthworm may destroy a dam: tho
sting of a micrObc may devaState q
city, and the unseen mysterious agen-
cies of corruption will. II tolerated. un-
dcrmine and destroy states and ma
tons. The owe Is with the people to
preserve our institutions. All true re-
forms come from 1.-THE masses. The
preaching of the lnwly Christian OF
early ages has had more influence upon
civilization than a hundred kings with
all their pomp and power.
The stronghold of the corruption
lists in Missouri has been shattered by
the shafts OF the law and rlddled by this
mighty power of an incOrruEtible
press. They trompld now as they lea
with ever increasing diStinctnesS the
distant rumbling of public Indignation,
but their hope is the people will soon
honor above sordid greed. who dcspiss
wrong and hate corruption, march in
solid phalanx against he forces OF err
ror, and keeping step to the music Ut
righteousness, make this their battls
cry:
Lord God of Hosts be with us yet.
Lest We forget-lcst We forget"
Marion, Rails, Monroe, Pike, Shelby.
Scotland, Macon and "A number of 9TH
or counties wer" well represented.
Members of Folk clubs of ncighboring
towns were in attendance in large
numbers.
Senator Cockrcll spoke on the same
lines as Mr.. Folk. and in support Of
his arguments in part as follows:
THE great mass of citizens are hon-
est men, and they are entitled 10
honest government. They are entitled
to officials who serve the. public mt
and not selfish purposes II il rests
with them to get such.
I'VE have been appalled, and humili.
atcd at the bribery and corruption that
have been exposed In the administra-
ton of national, state and city govern
mcnt. we have found corruption and
bribery where 1t had no right to xist.
We have seen the officers of the state
and nation using the powers entrusted
to them for selfish ends: but this does
not mean hat our civilization Is retro
grading, or that our people arc beCOm-
ing dcbascd. That IL not so.
What II o indicate Is that tho
people nave not been ca. eful in per-
forming their political duties. The
people Of this country have II In their
power to make their government hon
est il they use care and perform their
duties. There are two duties of e!ery
citizen:
First. to be active and take a Fer.
sonal interest In politics. Second. to
look out for his interests. and :hs
interests OF his home and family.
you shohld sec to II and select only
honest men to Office and to represent
You In conventions.
Select no man whose character IL
susceptible to bribery. Make sure of
this In YOU primaries and school dis-
tricts. In the sources of political pOw-
er.
DO this and there will be no brlbera
in your Legislature. for there will be M
one to bride.
should II corrupt man slip ~, Ia
will be 50 Outweighed by the balance
of honesty that he will not dare Ia
evil.