The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-28
A MERE FIGHT on FOLK.

Analysed the Republican campaign is mere
fight against Folk. and fight against him 10;
because lie is the Democratic candidate, bur be-
cause lie is the antagonist legal and political. of
boodlers and the Doodle system.
The Republican machine. embracing the Doodle
system is fighting the battles of the Doodle sys-
tem-aId the enemy Of the Doodle system is Joseph
W. Folk.
Glance at the uttcrances Of the Republican can
didates and the news stories and editorials of the
machine newspapers. The candidates conine them
selves TO thlns-to assans Folk. They are
not fighting the so-ca;led Democratic machine:
they not. formerly. crying about eleven mil
lion discrepancies: they have no criticisms of
fer against Democratic administration: they raise
no State issUes-they have no time for anything
but the fight on Folk.
They are not making Walbridge campaign
Mr.. Walbridge is little more than lay figure IN
this fight. being kept in the background. TO serve
Governor should III" anti-Eclk machine win
1t Is not pro-Walbridce but antFok cam
paign. Nobody lauds Mr.. Walbridse: all the Re
publican politicians in the fight ass.iil Folk.
1t is not a Roosevelt campaign. 1t is an anti
Folk campaign. Republican orators rarely mention
the President. but they heap execraions the
Circuit Attorney, who has broken up the Doodle
system.
interesting. Many of these papers formerly boosted
Folk for the nomination. hoping to create split
in the Democratic party. After Folks nomination
they cast about for plausible for bolt
ing him. They gave the excuse that Cook and
Allen had been nominated. Now. however. they
have nothing to say about Cook and Alen-they
are not fighting these men, but are fighting Folk.
incidentally they thus show the insincerity of their
former objections TO Cook and Allen.
Folk is the issue-the real issue-with the Re
publican machine. Candidates. press. leaders and
bosses spend all their activities upon this issue
To down Folk is the unanimous. united purpose:
1t is the object Of the consolidated Republican eff
fort
Folk is the ISSUE and there cannot I've any other
issue for a machine which bases its only hope OF
strength upon an alliance with the doodle system
the Doodle system dominates the machine which
has embraced 1t and directs the course Of battle.
Folk as Governor means the death Of the sys-
tenn; consequently the whole energies of the sys
tenn are directed to the downfall of Folk. To put
Folk out Of business and put the principle which
he represents out of politics-this Is absolutely
sential TO the existence Of system of corruption
in Missouri. BEAT Folk or bust is the motto of
the unholy alliance.
Lies are the biggest part Of the alliances am
muntiOn. Scandal mongers and Islander mills are
working ceaselessy. Pe,tifogging politicians and
Ananias organs have developed a perfect frenzy of
Each day new lies bloom like morn
ingglories and wither and blow away-and that
is all there is of the fight on Folk.
The anti-FOlk campaign is distinctly not credita-
bic to the Republican party" and will for many
years to come remain a deep blot on the record Of
Repubicansm in this State. 1t is n reproach to
the rank and file and matter of modification to
the national Republican party. 1t was discounte
nanced by the President. and his representatives
who visit Missouri. such Senator Fairbanks and
Secretary Shaw. treat it as disgrace, utterly ig
noring the Walbridge candidacy.
The fight on Folk by the poodle machine will in
all probability swell the normal Democratic ma
jority by some seventy thousand honest Repub-
lean votes. and the unholy alliance which took the
corrupt system to its bosom must die by the poison
and so down in political history a disgrace.