New-York tribune., 1904-08-30

the enactment of desired legislation. Notwith-
standing this. Folk stood for the nomination of
Cook and Allen. and now <ugly charges are in
circulation regarding a deal between them.
Senator Stone makes the accusation and Mr.
Folk denies il. Democrats now declare that IL IS
simply a question of veracity between Folk and
Stone. and that whichever way II may be de-
cided IL will have a disastrous effect on the
reputable vote which demanded Folks nominal
tion because OF his fearless crusade against COR
rupton in Office. The farmers find il difficult TO
reconcile Folks ante-cOnvention denunciaton
and prosecution Of the managers of the ma
chine with his present affiliatiOn with and in
Gorsement of two of the most prominent of them
who associated with him on the ticket They
openly declare that ambition has him in its iron
grasp, and that the interests of reform and pure
government inevitably will suffer IN conse-
quence.
Then again. it is pointed out that should the
Democratic ticket be elected. Folk will have as
sociated with him on the State Board of Equali-
cation. which. under the Missouri law. regulates
taxation both Cook and Allen. and would thus
enter upon his duties with his hands tied The
honest farmers look with extreme disfavor ON q
board whose decisions vtaIIy affect their inter-
ests. so made up as TO permit the representa-
tives of corrupt machine TO override any at
temptS at reform that Folk might try TO instl-
tUte.
There is only one Republican Representative
in Congress from Missouri at present and that
is Richard Bartholdt. of the Xth District 1t
is. however. confidently claimed by the Republic
cans and tacitly admitted by the Democratic
managers that Bartholdt will again carry his
district and that the XIth, the XIIth and the
XVIII districts will also be represented by Re-
publcans in the LIXth Congress. So great is the
Democratic disaffection in st. Louis of which
city the XIth and XIIth Congress Districts
form a part, that twelve different Demo-
Gratis. recognizing the difficulty of carrying the
election, have declined the Congress nomination
for the XIth District This district is rep
resented by John T. Hunt. whose plurality two
years ago over ex-Representative Joy, Repub-
hcan. was over four thousand James Joseph
Butler. eminent machine Democrat well
versed in its artful campaigning methods. who
makes speciality of coming TO Congress to be
unseated because of wholesale debauchery of
the ballot, has declared that he does not desire
a denomination Though he always has a
for emergency purposes. he is evidently of the
opinion that those methods will be unavaing
this year. and wishes TO pass up his job. Ma
chine Democrats are now on still hunt for a
successor to fill the Congressional shoes of this
eminent statesman, but are meeting with little
encouragement
The XVIII District is represented by NJ. z.
Benton. who was first elected to Congress eight
years ago and has regularly succeeded him.
self. though with steadily decreasing purali-
ties. He was elected to the LVIIIth Congress
by less than twelve hundred, and since then i'm
Hepburn's district have invaded Benton's baili-
wick and cannot be weaned from their old habit
of voting the Republican ticket Colonel Pete
had them too well trained to permit of their so
quickly accepting the brand of Democracy now
tap in that part OF the State For this rea-
son, IL for other. the Democratic managers
fear that Benton will be defeated and that his
Republican successor will be able to hold the
district indefinitely.
Aside from the diSorganizatOn and disaffec-
tion of the Democrats of Missouri. the popu-
larity of President Roosevelt is great that it
is even predicted that the Republican electors
will carry the State by a small but safe
plurality.