The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-06
Special to The Journal.


growth of Joseph w. Folks power in
Missouri has been the outward evil
dence of political revolution in the
most conservative state in the great
west. Many Missourlans do not un-
derstand it themselves, for it has been
one of the remarkable things in Amer
lean politics. 1t comes Of natural
causes.
After ALL the movement to Folk is
e. case Of the opportunity and the
man who could take advantage of it.
To-day he has the state at his back
to such an extent that republican poll
ticians are seriously considering
whether they would not gain more by
putting Folk at the head of their state
ticket, and making his election unani-
nous, than by naming a candidate in
opposition to him. Tho it has been
democratic state ever since it was
admitted to the union, except during
the civil war and the reconstruction,
Missouri has more than 100000 re-
publican voters. 1t is not an exag-
geration to say that 100000 Of them
have told their neighbors they will
vote for Folk this fall. Part Of them
will keep that promise.
The Folk Movement.
A few facts Of Missouri history may
help make what Missourians call "the
Folk movement" better understood
Compared with other western states,
Missouri is old. It was admitted into
the union in 1920, or forty years be-
fore Kansas, its nearest neighbor on
the west. 1t was state of-pioneers.
With numerous navigable streams, lit
built UP a slave-holding population in
the valleys and a people opposed to
slavery on the upland prairies. They
were bold, hardy people, who con-
tributed more than their share Of SOL
diers for the Mexican war, thousands
of the early gold hunters Of Califor-
MIA and large share of the Indian
fighters Of the plains. During the
civil war Missouri furnished more SOL
diers to the Confederate army than
any cotton state and more soldiers to
the union army than any New England
state. 1t also kept UP a war Of It's
own with Kansas, and most of the
able-bodied men who were not regu-
)arly in military service took part in
warfare that was kept UP in an irreg-
ular way at home.
Deep Prejudices.
Such conditions make people OF
stubborn character, deep prejudices
and much determination. Normally
democratic, Missouri was held in the
list Of republican states about ter
years by the enforcement of law
prohibiting any one connected with
the Confederacy or sympathizing with
1t from voting. These disabilities were
removed in 1873. Missouri at once
became a democratic state and has re-
manned democratic ever since.
At each election the democrats
have told how in reconstruction day
the republican legislatures corrupt.
saddled q debt on the state that /
has taken thirty years to pay, how
their priests and preachers and teach
ers were locked in jail for following
inns wifi, fol- ~ y,
test oath. how the whisky ring steal
and the abuses by the Home Guards
militia, were conducted. That wa
answer for any charges made agains
machine rule and the party in powe
kept on growing stronger despite tn
fact that the press Of the stat
charged corruption in high places
The deep seated prejudice Of the PEG
pie made the machine safe and 1t be
came independent and defiant. I
boldly took complete control Of tn
police and election departments of tn
large cities by boards appointed by tn
governor.
Works Thru Party.
The reformation Is coming thru tn
party in power but not thru it's ma
chine. Such a thing Is unprecedented
It seems wonderful that Missouri ca
make a change in It's whole method c
doing public things and all With
one party. Folk will be governor {
Missouri unless there shall be some re
markable cause like his death to pre-
vent 1t. He is pledged to do exactl
what his party has not done in tn
state.
Joseph w. Folk came to Nilsson
from Tennessee. Had he been Dor
four months later he would not /
eligible to the governorship at tt
time when he will, no doubt, becon
governor. He will not be 35 years oil
until October. He first attracted a
tention in st. Louis by being the mo
conspicuous factor in the settlement
the great street railway strike in tt
summer Of 1900. A few months late
the democratic bosses got together
make up their city ticket. ST. Lou
is independent of any county ar
elects city officers that correspor
to county officers elsewhere. The.
bosses said:
Put Joe Folk on the ticket to cate
the labor vote"
Caught Labor Vote.
It was done and he was elected CT
cult attorney. His office controls IL
prosecutions for felonies in ST. Loui
He soon found that the 2ity govern
ment was corrupt to the Gore. IN tt
house of delegates, the lower house
the municipal assembly, com bine
nineteen out Of twenty-eight membe
sold ordinances to the highest bidde
Folk indicted the whole ninetee
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