The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-05-20
FOLK ON FREE S S
If Elected Governor, First Leaislato,
Taking Ono VIII Be Indicted.

~ E'SGheu 9oNGfnOF, FIRST Legislator
Taking One viii Be Indicted.
Kansas City, May N5.-Joseph w
Folk, i'll the FIRST public meeting he has
addressed after it was made certain he
would be dominated for governor, told
where he stood on the question OF
bribery by the use OF railroad passes
He said;
propose 10 stamp out bribery from
legislative halls. Ii can be done and viii
be done. The FIRST legislator who Accepts
u railroad pass. so long as the laws re-
main as they are now, Will be faced by al
Indictment for his violation OF the stat,
l:tes OF the state and the constitution o.
the commonwealth. In Investigating state
corruption ] have found thnt the most in
sidious form of bribery Is the railroad
pass. If Il legislator accepts Il pass he
puts II in the knowledge of the represent.
alive of the railroad that he has Violated
the law and is subject TO indictment. II
the legislator after that hesitates to dc
what the representative OF the railroad
wants him to do, 1T has only TO be sug-
gested that the number of his pass might
be published, and the legislator will bow
scourged 10 his dungeon, do his masters
bidding.
Folks nomination is now certain, 70,
former Mayor Reed of Kansas City has
Withdrawn from the race. Folk, how
ever. will continue fighting. His meet.
lIRs ~ N-pIlNc llbAo Ilull WAS attended DN
10000 people.
When the prosecutor stepped upon
the platform he was greeted with
cheers and lusty shouts that could be
heard for blocks. Umbrellas. hats and
handkerchiefs We're waved in the air,
and the chairman. j. NJ. Lowe, was
hardly able TO restore order long
enough to say a few words of introduc.
ton. Again and again the people rose
in their seats and cheered, n when
Mr.. Folk stepped forward the applause
and cheers continued for fifty seconds.
Reed Remained Away.
The politicians who have been identi-
fled closely with the Reed faction
stayed away. 1t was reported that Mr..
Reed would sit upon the platform, but
he was not there. nor was he seen in
he audience. Mr.. Folk In his speech
made no reference to the Withdrawal
of Mr., Reed from the race. other thar
that the fight against Doodle had ended
in victory.
Mr.. Folk did better in the big han
than was expected of him. 1t takes a
powerful voice to be heard throughout,
he big auditorium, but Mr.. Folk was
heard fairly We'll, Time and again he
had to stop for cheers.
Crowds stood in the aisles through
out his entire speech. as Ihey could
hear better than in the rear of the
building, where there We're still a few
~unoccupied seats.
Mr.. Folks speech had to do chiefly
with the Doodle issue.
The battle is fought and won" he
began. Right has proved itself vic
torlous in the democratic party. 1t is
now time to rally altogether around The
flag and present a solid front 10 the re-
publican opposition. Let all democrats
forget personal differences and renlem.
Ser the good of the party.
Peoples Victory.
The people have won a great vic
tory. They have taken their party ll.to
their own hands. The professional pol
itician must get out. The democrats
who are democrats for principle are in
the saddle and the democrats who are
democrats for revenue only must take
a back seat"
Mr.. Folk praised the. democratic gov
INNER of the state Tor the lowering
of Y and the payment of the state
debt. Then. turning again to the hood
lers. he said:
But we want no boodlers in the
party. Let them go away off some
where and start a party of their own:
or, better still, let them go into the re-
publican party
1t was a dramatic minute when Mr..
Folk raised his right hand ana SAID;
IF l am elected governor. / promise
o that the first legislator who takes
a bride l will demand his impeachment.
The first rumor i hear that seems to
have the air of truth to it of boodlinp
in the legislature, l will start an inves-
LEGATION that shall be thorough-that
will be thorough if have to conduct it
mySelfo