The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-02
MISSOURI AND ITs NATIONAL IssrE

Yesterday The campaign was opened ard the Folk
idea is presented &" The voters 81 Missouri. Demo-.
racys candidate is comm ended To- The SUPPORT al
the voter as the practical embodiment of a moral
issue which has risen OF this State 10 a ,ari
Of first importance among questions before. the ma
| ton
The question which Is submitted to tn. citizens
OF Missouri. and the question which they in = meas
IRE must answer for the Of the country is:
| Shall higher morale hr Instituted in the ,,rIIi,.
service:
| Whether the movement now generally obs. wed
among the people not only Of thu, i,Ir 81 Eiany
other States toward civic honesty il merely an i'm
pulse j. something deeper coming from a uurr...
! must De- demonstrated primarily by Ms,ourians Is
| til" movement Int popular within or Is it some
thing dependable: l. it light emotional! enthris
assn for an ideal is ii functional and founded in
! suJstanta! character and intelligence: l. II fc-
titous genuine: These questions Missouri must
answer. Missouri must establish Il civic character
ana civic intelligence in this campaien which shall
b" regarded t!ie universal standards or must
renIuish its light the leadership and distinction
the high cnincnce among States. which its con
duct upon the great mora! issue 81 the Times has
entitled IT thus far Missouri character must stand
or fall br tho verdict and national character must
either triumph suffer.
Shall Missouri ard for all Incorporate into
the politics OF the. nation the proposition that dis
honesty must go: That phnse Of the question i
almost as broad as government itself Official dis
honesty is anarchy. al the sublest and most
powerful form OF anarchy and In reason tie only
form Of anarchy which need be feared in
knife against the incumbent OF office which threat
ems the United Satesit is the assassin with the
bride which attacks government itself That this
kind Of anarchy is potent no MIN who has followed
the history Of this country for ilc last eight years
doubt: II has extended its ramificatons into |
all branches Of the public service and everywhere
strengthened its Entertainments Graft born Of oil
cia greed and grown into system has ia these years
grazed over the whole country. fatterng the OK
pense Of the people. multiplying gradually becorn-
ing bold. securing protection in parties and finally
concentrating its force in the Republican orGsniza
ton. defying the people. Missouri has announced
the proposition that graft must go. In its support
Of the Circuit Attorney who began and continued |
the fight successfully against the corrupt forces in
this State and II remains TO clinch the proIo
sition with n political demonstration spelling death
to the enemies OF the people.
The primaries by which the Folk movement
swept the State promise by the people: the
fulfillment must come in November With the
formal opening Of the campaign by The United
Democratic party the premise is restat.d. II is
pfeuSe 10 rest OF tHe Dnllel SIatef ana MIS-
souri's the peoples. the voters honor ia mt stake
For this State the immediate and practical phase
Of the issue is. Shall the fight go against the
Doodle and lobby elements: These elements are
hiding their time hoping for a Governor who will
not resist their Vaccinations. Democracy con
clusvely answers the question in the presentation
Of Folk 1t said TO the people yesterday at Spring
field: Here Is the who has done battle and
will continue do battle against corruption.
No thinking citizen In Missouri doubts to-
day that Joseph W. Folk Is irrevocabIy committed
to the policy upon which his public and political
career is founded. Folk is n demonstrated fact He
came through the heaviest test to which an enemy
Of corruption could be subjected He withs,ood the
siege and he never ceased fighting until he had
routed his encircling foes He did not give way be-
fore either their heavy guns or their inducements
and influences
Folks record tells but srory-of impacabie
and consistent and continuous enmity 70 official
rhine. 1t tells convincingly OF an unalterabe pur
pose and the thinking individual may read in It the
story of a future course well. 4 career which
eads high Folks leads is not lightly aban
Toned by any man. he be honest be he veritable
znave.
Folks honesty has come through the fire. It is a
Known and movable quantity. and that he is fool
not his bitterest enemies charge. He has
10Th the unainching Integrity and the calm inteli-
renee To continue the course which has made OF him
strikingy prominent figure on the horizon OF Z
ional politics and his n household word
With the people everywhere. Folk viii make Mis- 6
ouri an excellent Goverror-and suited to the :
immediate necessities OF the rme when the bride {
nd-boodle allies await in the outer trenches seek
ne the first opportunity to advance. Folk and every
'ther the ticket will serve Missouri we'll for
our years. f
puf y &c lroad yfapJ ipv barn y,ol %
necessities Of Missouri and raised n national ,
lane which the Democratic party inaugurated yes :
erday in the commencement OF Its campaign. 1t is i
IN appeal in the crucial moment for saving b
principle Of public honesty upon which depends the y
Iery life OF our institutions. Missouri has ma .
ional issue touching the foundations Of government
FOR ST. LOUIS.
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