Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1904-01-14


have no compromise to make with
them. The only way to stamp out
corruption is TO hit In and hit it hard
wherever It Is found. Some OF those
who believe in the principles l advo-
cate have criticised me for making
this fight within the party, as 1t
would have been easier to accomplish
results another way. l am too much
OF Democrat to do otherwise. l be-
lieve in the principles OF Democracy
as enunciated by Thomas Jefferson,
and ! am proud of the glorious his
tory Of the party. l have always
been In thorough accord with the
party platforms, and my Democracy
has ever been next to my religion
The situation was such that it was
necessary for me to make this fight,
bnt l do not feel called upon to do
more than submit it for a decision of
the rank and file Of the Democratic
party, in whose honesty and integrity
l have every confidence. Whatever
the decision Of the party may be, 1
shall feel that / have done my duty,
and ought not to be expected to do
more.
FIGHTING THE CoRRUPTIoNIsTs.
Asan official Of your State, have
tried to do my duty, under my oath
|of Office to my State and to my God,
regardless or friend or foe. have
made enemies, many Of them power
full, who have hesitated at no attack
or calumny. From the beginning OF
the prosecutions they have made it
personal matter, and displayed a vi
ciousness toward the prosecutor un-
paralleled In the annals of prosecu-
tions. They want to make 1t so no
prosecutor hereafter will give them
trouble. Their attitude has made 1t
necessary for this question to be
passed upon by the people. would
much prefer to have retired to private
life, to have time to devote TO my own
affairs, my home and my family, that
| have not had during the past three
years, as | have given up all for the
cause have been fighting your
cause, not mine. I found l could not
do this, though, without leaving the
work incomplete and this great ques-
tion unsettled.
MISSOURI WILL SPEAK.
A seething mass of putrescence In
Official life has been found In st. Louis
and in Missouri The men who were
delegated to serve the peoples inter-
est have become recreant to their
trusts; have sold manhood and honor
to the highest bidders; have betrayed
the people and prostituted themselves
to venal ends. They felt secure In
their political strength and financial
power. They had been robbing the
people for years, and believed that no
one would dare interfare with their
trafiicking In the honor of the State.
Then the fight commenced; they
scattered. Some sought refuge in
foreign climes, Others turned on their
partners In iniquity, and one by one
they we're brought to justice. They
begged, they threatened, they used
every influence they had to stay the
angry hand OF the law. The grinding
machinery OF justice drowned their
threats and stifled their curses. They
are now on the brink OF a yawning
chasm, and in the vortex of despair.
Their last hope is to control the
political situation In Missouri through
the Democratic party, and thereby
escape the doom awaiting then. Will
you permit them to control? The
people of Missouri have made a great
light during the past two years, and
have received the applause of the
world, but there is more TO be done.
Win Missouri, even while all man.
kind is looking 10 see the manhood OF
the State assert itself, now run up the
white fiag9 The eyes OF the world are
now upon this State TO see what the
people are going to do about it. What
shall the answer be? The time has
come when boodlers' votes and bood-
lers' advice is not needed In the Demo-
cratic party. BY making the cure of
corruption an issue, the Democratic
party, Of course, win lose the boodlers'
votes but for every boodle vote lost