The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-02-20
HE CAMPAIGN.

several candidates. The personalities
OF the campaign have been unusually
bitter and for the mos part unwar'
ranted They have extended from
the candidates themselve to their
champions aud even to their humber
followers. And strange to say,
although this campaign has been
largely one of personal abuse, the rea
matter at issue is not the personality
Of the candidates or any n If them
but simply a question of fact which
might have been gotten at and been
debated and been settled without
involving the personalities of the can
didates at all
Boiled down to compact form, the
issues are simply these: The friends
of Mr.. Folk believe that after the con-
fession Of John A. Lee, followingcl Sc
upon the grounded suspicious of years
against Frank Farris and half a dozen
other state senators and representa-
tives, it is necessary for the democratic
party to perform some formal act Of
self publication, to seek outside the
list Of its previously accepted cham
pions for a candidate for the governor
ship, to make the eradication Of
official corruption its chief platform
declaration. and to nominate upon
that platform a man who in the con-
duct Of the duties Of a local office
made an admirable record for Wig
orous and IN wearying prosecution OF
llcal grafters and boodlers. They
believe that it would be illogical to
nominate upon such a platform as
the democracy will make anv other
candidate than the St. Louis circuit
attorney
The friends OF the other candidates
while differing for various reasons in
personal choice are practically a unit
in opposing Mr. Folk, on the ground
that (as they beiieve) his nomination
would be, under the circumstances, a
confession OF what thev refuse to
admit, viz:-that the party organizs'
tion is responsible for Lee, Farris and
T the rest, that 1t is rotten and ought
to be overthrown, and that the honor
and credit Of the party require
that the people should seek a nom.
inee for the governorsbip outside The
ranks Of its tried and accepted leaders
They believe that Mr.. Folk is, by the
character Of the campaign he is con-
! Quoting, seeking to pr fit by hi
party's misfortune and deception, ant
that he has, ever If conscientiously
associated himself with some Of the
worst Of democracy abandoned lead
ers and with a villainous republican
press to become the slanderer Of hi
z party for his own advantage
These are the real Issues which tn
party is to calmly consider, If it is t.
come TO a reasonable conclusion. Blu
f these are not the things which mel
are bandYing about 10 their discussion
OF the subject. What they are sayini
. is that CAN'T is a pal VI Ed. Buffers
o that Reed is a camewell fre-alarr
thief, that Harry HAYES is a plugugl.
OF the river wards in st. Louis, an
s that Folk Is a salary grabber. B
e Just such talk democrats are maxim
1t harder to get together when tn
campaign is wei and are furnishin
y weapons to the enemy. They al
making Ii harder 10 nominate ar
one OF the present candidates an
u rendering the probabilities Of a dar
& horse stronger every day. Some
the men who are now working in IL
IS camps Of the present candidates al
d doing so only in the hope Of tyir
,e the convention in the interest of
IL dark horse. Phelps, who attended ii
meeting OF the state democratic con
mIttee last week on the proxy
It Henry Quelmaz, a ST.. Louis Flo
ID organizer, aud who introduced Il
is resolution in favor Of district instei
of county representation because
ar can carry the Carthage representati
district but not Jasper county, ha
in the bottom Of his heart, no mo
use for Mr.. Folk than for Cant
70 Reed, or Halves. He will betray hi
= when the convention comes a
IN laugh at him the rest Of his Ii
70 Halves is similarly situated. The
= are elements in st. Louis which "