The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-09-08

THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
IN every government there is SEINE
thing that is worth preserving and
something that should be destroyed.
The Democratic party Of Missouri has
no only managed the fiscal affairs Of
the state superbly for thirty years, but
in this most critical period OF Mis-
souri's history has boldly and fear
lessly taken up the fight for civic
honor against sordid greed. The DEM
ocratic party has gone farther than
any political party has ever gone be-
fore in defying corruptionists and In
repudiating their support The party
has dared to say. I'VE HAVE DE
CLARED UNRELENTING WARFARE
AGAINST CORRUPTION AND HAVE
PLEDGED THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY TO HIT 1T, AND TO HIT 1T
HARD. WHETHER IN OUR OWN
RANKS OR IN THE RANKS OF THE
OPPOSITION PARTY. THE DECREE
HAS GONE FORTH THAT THERE
is NO ROOM IN THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY FOR B00DLERS. WE RE-
| PUDlATE THEIR SUPPORT AND DO
NOT WANT THEIR VOTES: WE IN
WIFE SUCH AS MASQUERADE
UNDER THE CLOAK OF THE DEM.
OCRATIC PARTY TO ROLT, AND
PROPOSE TO MAKE THEM BOLT,
NOT ONLY THE PARTY. BUT THE
STATE" The eradication of bribery
is the issue in this campaign, by the
side of which all other issues are in
significant. II Is grand thing to
fight for party, hut II Is a grander
thing for party to fight for state.
The Democratic party has taken up
the battle against corruption, No POI
litical party has ever done that be-
fore. Shall the Democratic party be
endorsed or condemned for taking this
stand?
BRIBERY DEVELOPMENTS.
Other cities may have been as cor
rupt as st. Louis, ana other states
may have had as much vcnaity as
Missouri, but 1t is true that at no time
or place has so much official corrup-
ton been uncovered and laid bare as
i'm Missouri within the past three
years II mas been concusively estab-
lished that for twenty-five years not
bill of consequence passed tine st.
Louis municipal assembly unless legis-
lators were paid for their votes. Com
bines of lawmakers were formed in
both branches OF the assembly for the
purpose of selling legislation, the mon
ey going, not into the treasury of the
city, but into the itching palms Of
these officials. Franchises worth mil
lions were sold for brides. These COM
bines would hold meetings in regular
parliamentary form and fix the bride
prices by majority rule. The price
being fixed. a member of the combine
would be selected to receive the mon
ey and distribute it among the officials.
Bribery was the common and accepted
thing. Men gave brides and thought
nothing of it, men took brides and
boosted Of the fact. Corruption in
office was honored; honesty In Office
was in disrepute These legislators
made a commodity of legislation and
passed or defeated bills for their own
gain, and not for the public good In
stead of public Office being a public
trust 1t was a private snap, They Z
outraged every sense of honor and de-
cency, and insolently Haunted Their
corruption in the faces of the people.
1t so happened that large majority
of these boodlers claimed to be Re-
jublicans, but this fact is Of no inn
portance except for its historical in
terest. The boodler affliatse with
either party, as his interests dictate.
He belongs to no party, but tries to
have all parties belong to him.
On one occasion a new member OF
the combine was present when $500
He was of somewhat tender con-
science and said to his fellow men,
bers: Are you not afraid this will get /
us into trouble? This is bribery" The |
others laid back in their chairs and
laughed at him, and said: "Ny dear |
fellow, why are you alarmed? Don't !
you know this has been going on 70.
years? Have you ever heard of any,
one getting into trouble about It? /
Have you ever heard Of anyone trying /
to give trouble about it? No one ever
has, and no one ever will. Think OF |
the political power we have. Each /
man controls his own ward. or he [
would not be here. Then there is the {
wealth of the men who put up the !
money. My dear fellow. don't be
anxious, no one will dare do anything 1
to us. We can annihilate him II he
does" Soon afterward the attack Z
came. Some fed to foreign lands;
others turned states evidence; others
begged and pleaded; but the grinding {
machinery of justice drowned their
threats and stifed their curses They Il
were pushed to the very brink of the
chasm of despair, then they grasped h
at one ray of hope, the hope of control