The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-27
JOE FOLKS TRIUMPH.

1
IFrom the Washington Post.1
The action of the Missouri Democrats
in nominating Joseph w. Folk for gov
ernor marks the triumph of one mans
fight for law and principle against the
most corrupt political organization that
ever existed in any state. That he will
be Overwhelmingly elected may be ac-
cepted without question. as he will have
the support of many thousand Repub-
licans who have been aroused to a sense
of civic decency by his exposure of the
boodlers and ringsters in both political
parties. Decent people are in the ma
Jority in every state, although at times
they allow the management of political
affairs to get entirely into the hands of
venal men who make politics a business
and profit by the apathy of the respect
able element of the community.
Mr.. Folks record is a remarkable one
in many respects. His fight against the
boodler has attracted the attention of
the nation and resulted in untold good
by prompting taxpayers and represent
tative citizens in other communities to
give more attention to the character of
the men nominated for office. Mr.. Folk
mas never posed as a reformer. He is
a Democrat and a politician. He ac-
cepted the nomination for circuit attor-
ney of St. Louis under protest and with
the understanding that his ticket could
not be elected. The ticket was chosen
by a Democratic machine in st. Louis |
which was thoroughly corrupt, and Mr.. |
Folk was named as a candidate simply |
to lend respectability to the ticket and |
with the hope that it might carry the |
election of the pet candidates of the |
gang for members of the city council /
and the house of delegates. The po
lice machine, dominated by the Demo-
cratic state administration, took high T
hand in the proceedings on election |
day, and the Democratic ticket was
elected Then came the surprise. The
machine found that it had, in a bid for |
the respectable vote, elected an honest I
man as circuit attorney. Within two [
after he had assumed the duties
of his office. Mr.. Folk had secured the
of nearly all the old Re-
publican councilmen and delegates for
bribery and boodling. and then pro- 1
ceeded to indict and prosecute the very
leaders of his party VINO had worked
for his election. He caused the greatest
sensation ever created in the political
history of an American municipality,
the Tweed case in New York not ex- Il
cepted. Millionaire citizens of St Louis,
who had profited by the boodling opera
lions, fed to France and Canada, while
took fright and went to
Mexico. More than twenty officials and
,itizens were indicted, and all but one
convicted. The supreme court of the
state dismissed a number of them on
technical rulings, but Folk was never
discouraged. He pressed the cases, Sc
cured extradition treaties from con-
sreSS, and forced the return of some of I
he fugitives who were hiding in Mexi-
%. Then came confessions, convictions
md final Imprisonment of several of the
eaders. Many of the cases are still
pending. but the indications are that
1T least twelve of the old ring will be
tent to states prison.
Following the prosecutions pressed by
sIr. Folk. the managers of the state
machine sought his political
'vertnrow. He was snubbed in city con-
Tentions in st. Louis. with the result
hat the farmers of the state started a |
Folk boom, and, overriding the machine ;
which had been intrenched in power in
he state for years, forced Mr.. Folks
lomina ton. Mr.. Folk has done his state s
md the nation a great service in arous- I
ng the public conscience. He has start
d a crusade against boodIing, and has
what may be accomplished by one de- /
ermined, honest man, who knows his {
Iuty and dares do it. He has establish
d the fact that an honest official and ,
he right constitute a majority which
10 political machine, however powerful, |
an successfully oppose.