Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-05-21
TRONTON, MO. THURSDAY. MAY 81. 1903.
The Attack on Stone.

well, could not have heard the speech
delivered by Senator Stone before the
Missouri Press Association at Kansas
City few days ago. The Republican
papers had been so malicious and so
mendacious in their attacks upon him
that he took advantage Of the occasion
to make reply to their misrepresen-
tations. He had been accused of
securing the passage OF a bill pro-
hlbiting the use of alum In the manu-
facture of food products, and the more
partisan OF the papers even Infatuated
that he was trying to avoid testifying
before the grand jury in the bribery
cases now pending. The facts as pre-
sented by Mr.. Stone are, first, that he
never knew OF the passage of the anti
alum bill until year after it became
a law. He was then practicing law in
Missouri, and was employed to prose-
cute certain parties charged with a
violation OF the law. During the in
vestgation of this case he learned of
the testimony before Congressional
commission in regard to the effect of
alum on the health. He learned that
the subject had been Investigated and
that, according TO the testim ony of the
representatives OF nearly all OF the
State universities and larger colleges,
the use OF alum in food products is in
furious to health. He learned that
our government prohibits its use in
food furnished for the soldiers, and
that other governments have taken
similar action. When, in the spring
of 1901, o bill was introduced to re-
peal the anti alum statute, he prepared
brief on the subject, reviewing the
testimony given by scientists, and
arguing that, if that testimony was
true, the law should not be repealed,
adding that if any modification of the
law was thought desirable it ought at
least to be made compulsory upon
those using alum to so state upon the
packages containing the prepared
| food This brief was mailed to the
! members of the Legislature. Mr..
Stone did not visit the capital; did not
speak to any legislator on the subject,
and did not write to any, the mailing
Of this brief being the only part that
he took in the matter.
| Whom one knows of the facts in this
case and then reads the veuomous at
tacks made upon Senator Stone by the
corporation papers, he understands
how much Senator Stone is feared.
The Republican party has on numer-
GUS occasions sent to the United States
Senate men who had for period OF
years made their headquarters at State
capitals and lobbied in behalf OF the
railroads; it has now in Congress men
who are pecuniarily interested in the
Exploitation of the Philippine Islands,
and who in their official capacity pass
upon measures that vitality affect their
business enterprises. The Republi-
cans at one time voted for q Presi-
Dental candidate who was shown to
have received $4,000 as a fee from q
company that had business before his
committee, when he was member ol
Congress, and yet these same Repub-
licans are Mortified to think that q
private citizen, not an official, acting
as an attorney, should prosecute suits
under q statute OF the State, or pre-
pare written brief upon subject
before the Legislature.
Governor Stone has aroused the
anger of the great corporations be
cause he attacked the influences tina
dominate the Republican party In State
and Nation; he has angered the metro
politan papers because he has exposed
their subserviency to organized wealth
. and he is now made the victim o
their constant assaults. He has beef
a Prosecuting Attorney, Congress
man and a Governor, and no one ha
been able to point to an act in hi
official career that was open to criti
! cism. Bailied in their attempt to fin'
flaw In his official record his enemie
seize upon and misrepresent a trans
action in which, while private citi
zen. he appeared as an attorney.
The courage with which Senate
Stone has attacked corruption an
those who have been guilty of it, is i
itself proof that there Is nothing in hi
life that can be exposed to his detr
ment. The moral courage which h
has shown can only rest upon cor
sciousness OF moral conduct--a guilt
conscience makes men cowardly :
The Con1moner.
q a Co TT % r T. "a.
Bears the The Kind You Have Always Bought
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.Job-work Of all kinds at this offic,