Iron County register., 1904-09-22


the streets in part unlighted; public rec
ords in some cases destroyed to conceal
evidences of crime, and franchises of great
value corruptly bartered. Important leg
ests could be secured only by the use of
bribe money. Corruption honeycombed al
most every department of the city.
AT last the people awoke to the shame
ful conditions which were obvious, and the
still more corrupt conditions that were be-
ieved to exist. Reform was necessary:
Under the inspiring leadership of Harry
b. Halves and other Democrats, the Re-
1900. and In three subsequent elections
Democratic supremacy was still more
strongly intrenched.
The Democratic officials elected have
been faithful to duty. Corruption has
given place to honesty; prodigal waste of
public money to judlcous economy ineffi-
cient management to correct business meth
DDS; while the judicial machinery has
been courageous and impartial in the en-
forcement of law.
The crimes committed under the Ziegen-
helm administration were exposed under
the leadership of that fearless Democratic
Circuit Attorney. Joseph w. Folk, now the
Democratic nominee for Governor.
rarl indictments tine h,Sn were returned against brbe
have already reached our Penitentary,
and others are on the way.
All of the boodling crimes were com
mitted in 1899, and prior years, before
my tleCllUH 10 the OIHCe Oh governor, OF
the election of single Democratic Of
fetal in st. Louis.
The Democratic party in St. Louis full
ly measures up to the Jeffersonian re-
quirementS and has earned the right to
continued supremacy.
The, Investigation of the st. Louis
grand jury, under the able guidance of
Mr.. Folk. exposed corruption in that
city.
The investigation by the grand jury at
the State Capital, under the skilful di-
rection of Attorney Crow, re-
suited in the Indictment of five senators
and the resignation of the lieutenant
governor.
Corruption was known to exist in st.
Louis, but its exposure and punishment
would probably not have been made but
for the lashings of the guilty consciences
of the criminals themselves There was
no occasion for apprehension on their
part during Republican rule. No attempt
Whatever was made by any Repmbllcan
fact developed into system and its
methods became an open secret. But
when courageous, tireless, Democratic
circuit attorney entered upon the work
of reform, some of the criminals made
haste to secure immunity by revealing their
official misconduct
LEGISLATIVE RECORD.
During the last session of the general
assembly there was much discussion of
alleged boodling in that body. In view
of this fact, l requested Judge HAZEL to
summon grand jury to investigate the
charges of official direliction.
The grand jury convened, and under
my direction, as provided by the stat
utes, Attorney-General Crow assisted the
prosecuting attorney of Cole county in
the conduct of the investigation.
faithless lieutenant-governor made the
startling disclosure to the Attorney-Gen-
eral which aroused all w-abiding citi-
,i., fnlI Inv, hi ,itrpa
ton. Five senators were indicted. One
of the senators was convicted, two were
acquitted, and the other cases are still
awaiting trial.
guilt or innocence of the accused. The
courts must do that. However, all the
power of the great office committed tc
me by the people has been used to aid
Mr.. Folk and Attorney-General Crow In
the prosecution of boodlers
There should be speedy and impartial
trials and If guilty, the penalty of the
, law should be inflicted.
teen are classed as Republicans and six
as Democrats. OF the legislative offend
ers, two are Democrats, and four are
Republicans.
There is, however no politics in Grim
Criminals are simply law breakers.
With the courage to do right, the Dem
ocratic party will continue to purge it'
, ranks of the few officials who are
, In the exercise of my constitution
prerogative I vetoed thirty bills passet
: by the last general assembly. No "sand
+ bagging' measure has become a law un
: der this administration. Every bin
T general interest approved by me-. excep
one where constitutional question VIZ
: subsequently raised, would meet m!
sanction now. ! speak thus posltla1, ,,t,a II,
$ swept the whole field of investigation, !
: brbe money was used during the las
1 session of the legislature 1T was used u
. defeat the passage of bills repeating eX
8 isting statutes and not to secure tn
enactment of new legislation.
! CORPORATE ASSESSMENT.
O The assessment of railroad and othe
r corporate property is the occasion o
criticism by a reckless partisan press
8 The law devolves that duty upon tn
State Board of ,Equalization, consistin
l. of the five elective officers constitutin
/ the Executive Department.
These officers have faithfully dis
e charged that duty, There has been n
$ discrimination in favor of corporate In
!, porate assessment made by Republica
|. leaders, comes with i'll grace from
e party which during it's control levied M
one dollar of taxes against railroads, a
l. though the rates of taxation upon othe
o forms of property were laid with heaV
hand
Is Since the Democratic party came I'M
g. power there has been, year by year,
steady increase in the assessment of raj
v road and other corporate property, ou
stripping the relative increase In the al
L. sessment of real and personal propert
by local assessors.
Dl The assessment Of railroads, street raj
TX ways, bridges, telegraph and telephor
properties reached its highest point du
Is ing the present year, amounting to $131
ID 142 $780,
re This assessment is nearly thirty-thr,
$. millions greater than that of 1900, Il
G. highest assessment of corporate propert
l. In single year prior to my lnauguratit
as governor.
ye There has been an increase of substa
vs. TALLY seventeen millions of dollars in Il
s. assessed valuation of railroad proper
alone during the four years of this a
" ministration.
TO Let us apply still another test by whit
ar the people may fairly judge of the wol
of the present State Board Of Equaliz
Id tion. If we compare the assessment
the 1900 miles of railroads and sire
us railways in existence in 1900 with t
ed assessment of the same mileage at Il
recent session of the board Of Equaliz
IN ton, 1t Is shown that there is net !
tie crease Of SIS, 5S6, 767 in 1904 over 1900 In t
n valuation of these properties. That is
say, in 1904 the State Board of Equaliz
is ton increased the assessed valuation
railway and street railway. property.
m operation in 1900, nearly nineteen m
ed lions of dollars, more than in 1900 the
st crease exceeding $1,000 per mile,
x 1t is apparent, therefore, that t
board of equalization has largely
u creased the assessment of railroad a
other corporate property during the peri
If covered by this administration.
)o- comparison of the assessment of ra
,rt road property in Missouri with that of {