Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-11-06

cry individual Democrat-for | speak
to you particularly now-has a work
to do. The corrupt!onists are shrewd
and they have millions Of money. They
will try to deceive you. They will
present subtle arguments to show that
they are in favor OF good government
with the usual but Even the
boodlcrs themselves may denounce
boodling in public. But how sincere
are they? Their reformation Is too
sudden to be lasting; their highest de.
sire Is to sOothe the people into a false
sense Of security SO that they may
have further opportunity for p%lunder-
ing. There is nothing the boodler
fears SO much as An aroused public
conscience. The boodlers are strong,
their ramifcations are startling; their
influence in both political parties Is
great. They are well entrenched and
are fighting desperately for their pc.
litical lives, but with the manhood
Of the Democratic party united in patri.
otto %endeavOr, they will be routed and
overwhelmed. There are some pessl.
m!sts who believe the co~rruptionists
will control the Democratic party.
do not believe 1t. When one goes
over the state and sees the Missouri
Democrat in his daily life OF sturdy
honesty and recognizes his sterling
character, built on the rock of princi.
pie, 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 gov.
eminent cannot be in doubt.
A. to the 0overnorship.
A great deal has been said about
the ~governorship of Missouri. This
is an honor that any man might well
covet and nc man refuse. | have been
asked as to my position in reference TO
the mentioning Of my name for that
high Office. To you. my friends. |
have no hesitancy in saying hat II my
party, in the exercise OF It's Partially,
sees fit to name me for that place, |
should be recreant to my duty were |
to do otherwise than accept. | do not
claim to have lone anything to en-
title me to this distinction. Nor would
| take 1t as a reward for my humble
~endcavOrs to bring about a better
condition in municipal and state al
fairs. | have, in the place Ut trust
assigned to me, tried to DO my duty
under my oath Of office to my city and
to my STATE. How well | have sue,
cecded ! cannot say, but | have done
my best, and, after all, the most that
any man can do in public and private
life Is TO do his best. ! wan no com
pensation for doing my duty other than
the approval of the people. The gov
ernorship offers tremendous oppOr.
tunities for the accomplishment of
public coed, yet II the party bestows
that honor upon another. | shall not
complain, and shall give him my loyal
support. There are many honest men
in the Democratic party, many more
worthy than ! Of this distinction. At
this critical period in the history Of
our party and the state. no mans am.
bition should be considered, but the
good Of the party and public should
alone be kept in view. individuals arr
of but passing moment; principles arc
immortal. The question Is not what
any individual wants, but what the
people want. The individuals men
tened in this connection will soon
pass away but the effect Of what Tho
people Of Missouri do IN this crisis vii.
90 laundering down the ages and
have It's influence for good or cyi.
on coming generations.
There Is one thing certain, that II
| knew ! could get the ~governorshil
by compromising with the forces OF
evil, and hatHwithUut this | could not
get It, ! would not have It. | had
rathcr-a thousand times rathtr-re
tire to private life, conscious Of having
been true to my conception Of public
duty, than to have the greatest Office
In the land by being false to my better
nature. There Is mere honor in hones'
private life than IN high official pc
, sition gained by sacrifice of principle
So, there you have what | really
think on this question. ! ask you, my
friends. to believe that this Is all there
!. Is of It; all that Is selfish. ! mean
The faith Of my friends-and by my
, friends ! mean those whose hands
have never shaken. as well as those
have-is all ! have to go on. ash
you to believe in my sincerity, because
whatever the outcome may be, ! wan
/ to keep that.
. ] will not resign the Office ] have
} been assigned to for the purpose o
electiOneering for another. neither will
| neglect the duties Of that office. go
ing around seeking a higher position
or necessity, my time will be so occu