Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27

suppression means good government. and
unless we can have that the country will
go to ruin"
The People and Bribery.
Give me-" Mr.. Folk, said I. "your idea
as to how bribery could be driven from
tine United States?"
1t is only by the creation OF healthy.
honest public opinion" said Mr.. Folk you
may put the boodlers In prison, but a Ions,
as the people are not down upon them ana
thelr acts the business will continue TO
thrive. The boodlers must be taught that
ocoaiihg Is bad politics as well as bad
morals; and the voters are fhe only onas
who can teach them this thing. In my work
expect everything of the people of Mis-
souri. II they will help me feel that +
can 40 much 10 wipe out official corruption
But II Is the people who viii have to do It,"
AS Party Issue.
"Will you get the support of the demo.
cratic party in your fight?"
we shall have the support of the better
element of 1t and we don't want that Of
the corrupt element We hope to drive
the booders from the democratic party and
TO make that party an example which will
give aid and strength to democracy in
every state of the Union. / don't believe
IN closing our eyes to corruption for fear
IL Will hurt the party. No party can be
hurt by getting rid of bad men, nor by
cutting OH Its rotten limbs. | am naturally
democrat: my ancestors were democrats
ana have never voted for n republican.
except where one has been put upon tho
democratic ticket in St Louis by party
posses L believe in the teachings OF my
party, and l believe above everything In
the enforcement of the laws. | know there
are democratic rascals as we'll as republi-
can raScals, and In the enforcement OF the
law l shall know no party
Don't Want the Machine.
Then you will not expect to have the
support of the machine ringeaders?"
we don't want the support of the st.
Louis machine. 1 should hate to think [
could carry certain wards here which are
controlled by that machine. 1t IS in he
party for revenue only. and we do not want
that Kind OF a support. If 1 cannot be-
come governor without promises to any
one l prefer not to be governor IL / can
not be free to do Lly duty as / see it to my
party and to the people l would much pre-
Ter to retire to private life. | have no IA
VorS to ask of the corruptfoniSts and no
quarter to give. l defy them. | have been
fighting them for two years and will fyht
them to the end, and l believe that he
democratic party and the people Will help
me-"
The Public and the Boodlers.
How can the public protect themselves
from the boodlers?'
They do so by taking an interest in
politics, denouncing bribery and in voting
ID wipe it out Every good citizen should
go to the primaries. He should attend the
precinct ward and township meetings and
see that honest men are nominated. Nine
ty-nine per cent of our people are honest,
but the other enc per cent of dishonesty is
perniciously acting and working while the
other ninety-nine sleep. Wake up the nine
ty-nfne, and there is no fear of results
And then the citizen should urge the en-
forcement of the laws" continued Mr..
Folk. He should denounce bribery and
assist in its detection. There should be n
constant search for corruption, and this
should be prosecuted without regard to the
feelings of individuals. No honest man can
be hurt by investigation, and no dishonest
one has any right to object because his
misdeedS are made public. Publicity and
enforcement of the law are the chief anti
dCtes for corruption. Booders can be pun
ished by ballot well by prisons The
first duty of every citizen is to put an end
to bribery in our public life. He should
vote against It, talk against ii and work
against IT. When the people look upon
bCoding as they do upon ordinary stealing
and when the boodler is punished like the
ordinary thief shall be much further
along on the road to purity in politics and
to an honest city, state and national gov
eminent" FRANK q. CARPENTER