Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-07-28

amendment to the careful consideration
of the voters Of Missouri. While we point
with pride to what has been done in the
state in providing school for defective
children. in providing them with special
technical and professional education OF a
high order, and In encouraging and help
ing every community to provide the best
possible education for its children, we
pledge the state, as long as its affairs are
administered by the democratic party, to
| continue the work SO well begun until
there shall not be any illiteracy. immoral
ity or improvidence.
Paramount Issue.
The democratic party of Missouri not
only stands for material and intellectual
| progress. but for moral advancement, and
| declares that the paramount issue before
the people of Missouri is the eradication
of bribery from public life in this state
II Is not because there is more corruption
in Missouri than in other states that we
are leading in the crusade against corrup-
ton in politics and government, but be-
cause the extent of the evil has been ex-
posed here, and in other states it has not.
Through the work of democratic officials
of Missouri, the Missouri idea" has be-
come a slogan all over the land. The APP
palling exposures of corruption in Mis-
souri, a brought upon the good citizens
of this state the responsibility of stamp
ing out the things that dishonor n OPP
press. Good citizens may innocently do
wrong, but liberation of known abuses is
criminal. No party can be hurt by get
ting rid of ~rascals. No state can be in
jured by the enforcement of law. The dis
grace is in liberation, not in corrupting.
There can be no grander mission In store
for any political party than to fight pub
lie evils. The subject of the eradication
Of bribery Is more important than any
functions of government, while this goes
to the existence of government itself. Cor
ruption in public life, If tolerated. will
lead to the destruction of free govern
ment.
Where bribery rules, there is a govern
ment not of, for and by the people, but a
government of and for the few with
wealth enough to purchase official favors.
bribery aims at the assassination of the
commonwealth itself. In the city of st.
Louis, according to the confessions of
those implicated, for Is years bribery
ruptionists grew arrogant and powerful.
They were confident in their wealth and
political power, and felt that no one
dared attack them. In our state legis-
high commission, and have become in
volved in the lneshes of greed. Demo-
| cratic officials have exposed these con-
ditions,. and LAID, upon the Offenders the
heavy hand of the law. We indorse the
, work that has been done in this regard.
We here declare unremitting warfare
against corruption, and pledge the demo-
cratic party to hit corruption, and hit it
hard, whether in our W ranks or in the
ranks of the opposition party. The decree
has gone forth that there is no room in
the democratic party for boodlers. We
repudiate their support and do not "a
their votes. We invite such as are
masquerading under the cloak of the dem
ocratic party to bolt, and propose to make
them bolt, not only the party, but the
state. We have confidence in the honesty
of the people, and to them we appeal for
success.
We invite all honest people, of all polit-
ical parties, to join us in this crusade
against corruption. 1t is the vital issue
involved in this campaign. and on this
issue we stake the hope of the democratic
| Marty of Missouri.