The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-05-31
President Harry r. Hawes Says
the Organization Was Never
in Better Shape.
POINTS TO ITS OFFICIALS.
Declares No Officer of the Club
Has Ever Been Accused or
Suspected of Wrong
doing.

Harry r. Hawes. president Of the Jcffer-
son Club. yesterday refutcd in detail the
| recent statements and claims which have
been made by Republican newspapers re
gardinG the condition OF the organization.
According To MIR. Hawcs the cub will
| work in the future it has done in the
past for the Democratic party. He says
its material resources are in good shape.
| the club Is in working order. and this fall
viii see u campaign conducted in ST. Louis
Tor the benefit Of the party
The statements recently printed in Re
publican newspapers" said MIR. HawcS.
ami eagerly circulated 10y Democrats
ANXIOUS to create discord in the 81. Louis
Democracy. regarding the financial Stdbil-
ity ana general healthy condition of the
jefferson Club. are wholly untrue.
The Jefferson Club has been in active
existence for twelve years Al no time
during that period has il ever had a dis
pute regarding the payment Of any Of its
bills rive years ago IL rented its .r.S-
ent quarters and took a fve-year lease
on the property. the lease expiring III oc
tober.
AT no time during this period has
there ever been any delay in promptly pay
Ing our rent II Is paid for now. the club
has money IN its treasury to meet all its
expenses. and Is in no wise embaTra ssed
financially. As the organization upon
order 10 carry its tickets. IL : naturally
the especial target for Republican news
paper abuse and vilification-
During its entire history of twelve
years no officer of the association has ev-
er at any time been honestly charged
with any improper conduct IL is the
pecial usiiEht OF Republicans and he
publican newspapers TO state that the Jsf-
ferson Club was connected with TN. SO
called naturalization frauds. II has never
had anything TO do with the naturaliza-
1t has Its own committee. which take
charge OF its naturalization. The natu.-
alizauon work of the club has all been
done through 'niS naturalization commit
tee. Not one member of that committee
has even been under suspicion OF wrong
doing in the matter OF naturalization.
NEW MEMBERS COMING IN
New members are constantly coming in
and designations have been remarkably
few. considering the fact that there WAS
no campaign last year. and nothing To
excite an active interest in political mat
ters.
Those designations which We have -
Tar received are below the average of Ia"
year preceding and are in almost ever
case due TO II member leaving the city.
and in some few cases are caused by
disappointed members who have not SUE
lions.
The treasurer OF the association. T. r.
Ballard. has held that position for more
ltldH HNe years he was Ile treasurer OF
the club prior to his appointment as Po-
lice Commissioner. and Is one OF the most
efficient and best liked members OF the
Jefferson Club. He accepted his nomina-
ton as treasurer the last time with the
distinct understanding that he should be
relieved of the duties OF that Office as
soon as possible. The statement was
made before full meeting of the club at
the time OF his nomination. | do not
know at this time whether he will resign
or not
-,
litical organization modelled after the
lines of the jefferson Club called the
Hamilton Club. II is unfortunate that so
many Democrats believe the unfriendiy
statements made about the jefferson Club
by Republican newspapers Especially is
this true in connection with the policemen
who are members of the organization.
NO HIGH ASSESSMENTS
The dues of the members are 30 cents
a month and no member has been assessed
for more than that amount. policemen or
others The moneys which police officers
have in the past contributed to campaign
funds have been paid 10 the State Com
mittee for the use of State campaigns and
Club. Any police officer who says that he
has been called upon by the Jefferson
Club for more than his 20 cents a month
dues states what he knows to be 4 de-
With very few exceptions every good
democratic worker in the city OF St.
Louis is member of the jefferson Club.
AT different times during its twelve years
history disgruntled and disappointed Of
nce-seekers have tried to organize rival
clubs They have always failed because
ganized them was SO apparent that the
movement never gained much strength.
No Democrat who loves his party or
wishes for its success has anything hut
kind words for the organization which
redeemed St Louis from the Ziegenhein
rule. If there Is q break in the Democratic
organization in this city In any one single
ward or precinct do not know where IL
is.
FINANCIAL AFFAIRS.
The financial affairs of the jefferson
Club are conducted in the same way as
those OF a bank or mercantile company.
Every dollar that Is received by II IL
recorded in our books, showing the source
from which II comes. and deposited IN
bank Not cent is spent by the organi-
zation excepting upon q voucher of the
committee making the expenditure.
countersigned by the secretary and presi-
dent of the club, and a check drawn and
issued by the treasurer.
SO not so much as 81 can be spent
without the signatures of four men. Bach
year an auditing committee OF five MEM
bers Is appointed, and men are usually
selected for this work because of their
knowledge of the science OF accounts The
books of the Jefferson Club were audited
last April by an auditing committee COM
posed OF well-known men. whose report
was most commendatory. and which is
now on file with the records of the as
Sociation.
''The disruption Of the jefferson Club.
precinct and block of the city of St Louis
would mean the defeat OF the Democratic
party in st. Louis Republicans know this
and are. therefore. trying. as they have
always tried, to bring about its disrup-
tion, and will be assisted as usual BY rene
gades: disappointed office-seekers and