The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-20


| cratic Senator, and three Republican Sen
ators have been indicted. And that of the
latter, Senator sullivan. had been tried
and convicted of soliciting a bribe.
Following or coincident with these pro-
| ceedings. the Grand Jury at st. Louis be
gan investigating matters connected with
! State legislation. The public, through
the press. have been served daily with
| accounts purporting 10 give the complete
proceedings of the Grand jury Whether
! true or otherwise we cannot well TELL
! since each juror makes solemn oath. tine
( counsel of the State, my fellows and my
! own to truly keep and the witnesses also
make oath not to directly or indirectly
| diyulge the testimony they may give, nor
| even the subject matter under cons'dera-
ton by the Grand Jury" We assume
| that these oaths have been observed, and
hence conclude that much tina. has been
| said may be rumor.
The Grand Jury at ST. Louis. as the
result of its labors, returned TWO inuic'-
ments, both against Senator Farris' WHO
had been previously indicted in Cole Coun-
ty. The people OF the state nave sn3
reason to confidently expect thAt ia'i anu
impartial triaIs VIII be had. - .,a
Briefly nineteen members or the M Ale
genhein regime IN St Louis nave oeel oe,Sa Soti,
victed of corruption or perjury, tnifteeh
of whom are Republicans and SIX DelnO-
Gratis There are four State Senators IN
dicted, three Republicans and one Demo
mo ISSUE OF. CORRUPTION"
Upon this statement of the case We are
grayely told that the issue Is corruption
versus honesty. Is this correct state
ment? Before there can be a political IS
sue there must be two sides to a con-
troVersy. Each side must have It's aa-
herents, and each must have sulncle.it
strength so that battle Is necessary 10
determine which is the stronger. III all
OF the people are of one mind there can
be no issue. II practically all OF the peo-
pie are on the same side political issue
can hardly be said to exist. There cannot
be much Of an issue between a gnat on a
railway track and an eight-ton locomo-
tive: os
sity for making political issue on Doodle
ism in Missouri Is to say that a consld
cradle portion of the people are In favor
Of corruption, and that battle must De
men are in the majority. l declare that
this is not the case. Boodling only ex-
listed because II was undiscovered. 1t Is
a secret crime: I quote from an eminent
transaction except those implicated in it
When, however. the disclosures came,
tley aroused inQlSnaUOn OF All Glasses
and all parties. Republicans. Democrats.
Populists, men of all conditions and opin-
ions. expressed the utmost adherence and
contempt. The universal demand from
every quarter OF the State was and is that
no guilty man shall escape.
This statement embodies substantially
the facts relating to municipal and legis-
lative corruption Is there anything in
the record which justifies the malevolent
attacks OF the Globe-Democrat and the
Kansas City Star upon the Democratic
form his whole duty TO the public in these
prosecutions be justly charged against
any Democratic official?-
THE commendation of all true Demo-
Gratis has been given in unstinted meas
ure to all who have had an official duty
to perform in purging the public service
Of the baneful influence Of corruptionists.
To Judg. James z HAZEL, who promptly
convened q special Grand Jury In Cole
County. and vigorously directed q thor
ough investigation of charges Of legisla>
tive bribery, is due the tina 1kS of all good
citizens. The same. feeling should extend
to Attorney General Edward c. Crow for
securing the confession of Lee, without
which little could have been accomplished.
cutting Attorney p. P. Stone in the Grand
Jury investigation
Circuit Attorney. Joseph w, Folk, in
the performance of his duty as public
prosecutor at st. Louis, has justly mer-
tied and will ever receive the grateful
praise of all law-abIding citizens for his
of faithless public servants.
The great influence OF the Governors
Office has been at all times earnestly ex-
erted by Alexander NJ. Dockery, in aiding
the State both in the judicial investiga-
ton al jefferson City and in the effort to
secure the eXtradition of fugitives beyond
the borders of the Republic
'It is no less gratifying to US that the
Democratic Circuit Judges, Ryan and
Douglas of st. Louis and Henry c. Tim
monds Of Lamar have shown am mast com
speedy trial, to the end that prompt JUS
ice might be administered 4,
"All the machinery OF the law In these
Investigations and prosecutions has been
directed by Democratic officials, and DEM
ocrats everywhere may rejoice and feel a
pardonable pride in this splendid record
IF faithful public service.
"All of these officials are entitled to
credit for the honest performance of duty.
Yet there are but few of them who will
claim any special commentator. 1t is not
so rare a thing in Missouri to find an Of
fetal who is performing his plain duty.
The performance Of duty is not so aston
tion among officials. The rule in this State
is for officers to do their duty. That Is
why we have officers.
The propasandists who raise the cry
that the issue is Doodle VS.. Honesty ap-
pear to be of the opinion that there is
grave question whether enough fairly
honest men can be found so that the army
Of the wicked II mGstered beneath the ban
ner of DOODLE will not prevail. This is a
strangely laughable proposition. II the
banner of Doodle were to be set up there
would enlist. and they would meet after
dark and hide out before the dawn. There
is no State, no country, the citizenry of
which more than equals in Christian sin
certify and recUtude OF character the peo-
pie OF Missouri.
ENEMIES OF THE PARTY.
who most loudly raises this cry? When
a statement is made you have the right
to look into the character and motives of
its author. If he be fair and honest, and
a friend. you may generally consider his
advice. If he be a known enemy it is
safe 10 discredit his statements.
That there are many honest men who
may have been carried away by this slo-
gan doubt not: but who are most inter-
esting themselves IN its propagati ton?
Before We slay the faithful old shep-
herd dog let US see If there is not
wolves that stand as his accusers.' Who
is 1t that presumes to tell the Democratic
party what candidates 1t must nominate
and what platform it must adopt? Is it
the voice Of Esau or the voice of Jacob?
Foremost OF those who seek to name
the candidates and dictate the policies OF
the Democratic party, We find the st. |
Louis Globe-Democrat and Kansas City
Star, and, following in their wake, every |
mugwump and Republican paper in the |
State.
What is the quality of their friendship |
for our party? For years the Globe-Dem- |
ocrat denounced Missouri. II sat at the |
eastern gateway of the Commonwealth |
and warned the world that Missouri was |
the ''robber State" Even more despicable |
and slanderous have been the utteranceS |
of the Kansas City Star.
But the strangest of all is that power |
full combination of men in st. Louis, who |
conceal their identity while they display |
their cash. Their names are withheld |
from the public. but we are informed |
vaguely as TO their geographical location. |
What their opinions upon public Ques- !
tions may be is matter of such grave !
doubt that the boldest refuse to hazard |
q guess.