The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1904-06-02
FOLKS VICTORY.

the Qubernatorial nomination on the
handed he has beaten the Democratic
machine and its cohorts of office hold
ers, office seekers, boodlers and graft
ers. The convention which will NOM
mate candidate for Governor will
not be held until June 1, but the re-
suits of the cauouses throughout the
State leave no possible doubt as to the
result and the opponents of Folks can
didacy admit that they are oveIwhelm-
ingly defeated.
Folks fearless and successful prose-
cution of the st. Louis boodlers did
the trick. The courage, independence,
and energy with which he went after
the boodlers of high and low station
made him national reputation.
When he announced himself candi-
date for Governor he had merely that
reputation and his record to help him
but friends cropped out in all corners
of the State. Opposed TO him were
forces which appeared we'll nigh in
vinoible The whole party organiza-
ton, the governor, the city admins
tration of st. Louis of which he was
part, and the Jefferson Club, the
leading Democratic organization of
the State, anu of which he was a
member, and the gang of boodlers
which he had been prosecuting were
all united against him. Even his best
friends had small hopes of his success
in this attempt to overthrow the COM
bination. But the personal equation
and the issue of political corruption
did the trick.
Against Folk were three other can
didates, one a member of the State
Supreme Court, another mayor of
Kansas City, and the third the popu-
lar president of the Jefferson Club and
the head Of the ST. Louis police COM
mission. Each of these men had been
selected to run against Folk because
of his supposed strength with certain
constituencies 1t was believed each
could whip Folk in goodly portion
gether their delegates would make
Folks nomination impossible. But
it appears that the machine politi-
clans reckoned without their hosts.
Folk has won hands down. Two of
the opposing candidates have with
drawn and the third is said by his
friends 60 be only nominally can.
didate. -
Such is Folks victory, a victory
which speaks we'll for the rank and
file of the Democratic party in Mis-
souri,, and all sorts of i'll against the
so called leaders. Missouri is ordi.
nariy Democratic State and Bryan
had plurality over Mckinley in the
last presidential election of over 81, 00C
votes. In view of this fact it is very
probable Folks nomination will be
equivalent to election 1t has been
PROPOSED by some of the independent
newspapers that the Republican party
make no real fight over the governor.
ship but that instead it shall turn all
its energies toward getting the seven.
teen presidential electors of the State
for Roosevelt 1t is thought possible
that this may be done, inasmuch as
Roosevelt and Folk have the same
sturdy honesty and fearless and indie.
pendent devotion to duty
Folk himself has been spoken of AS
candidate for the Democratic nomi-
onation for the presidency but he
says:
[ could not consider accepting the
nomination were it rendered. / have
made the present fight before the peo-
pie OF Missouri for a principle, and
now that the Democrats have SO gen
erously Endorsed me for Governor,
fear | should be false to the trust i'm
posed were l to consider another nomi-
nation. 1 regard the work to be done
as Governor of Missouri of more inn
portAnce just now than anything else.
There are certain reforms necessary,
and they must be carried out. / have
made fight for them and could not
desert those who have assisted me for
anything else in the range of posi-
bility."
He is wise in any case to keep out
of it this year. Should he go into
the fight and get the nomination all
the indications point to Democratic
defeat at the>polls. Folk will not he
30 years old until next October. His
record should be fuller and better a
few years hence and the opportunities
of his life greater.
AXE WISE ACTION.