Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-21
FOLK WAS NOMINATED
Missouri Democrats Held an
All-Night Session.
PLATFORM FEATURES
BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION ARE
DENOUNCED.
Initiative and Referendum and State
Primary Favored-Paramount
Issues Of the Party. 8

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, July H-After
all all-night session, marked by intervals
of disorder and commotion that could not
be quelled by the gavel, the democratic
state convention early today unanimously
nominated Joseph w. Folk, circuit attorney
of st. Louis, for governor, and adopted
platform which promises vigorous, unre-
lenting crusade against corruption ana
Doodle In Missouri in the event of demo-
cratic supremacy at the polls. Just as the
day was breaking the convention adjourned
until 10 O'Clock. and one of the most tur-
bu]ent sessions of a Missouri democratic
convention ended There was no doubt
about the nomination from the beginning
of the first session of the convention. The
Folk delegates far outnumbered the dele
gates of his only rival for the nomination,
Harry b. Hawes, president of the Jefferson
Democratic Club of St. Louis. and the re-
suit of the convention was clearly defined.
Platform Adopted.
The platform. which contains the slogan
of the Missouri democracy against Doodle
and official corruption in Missouri, was
adopted by a resoundng viva voce vote
after a bubble over the proposed amend
ment to insert a plank for legislation to
punish tax dodgers. The latter plank was
introduced minority report and de-
fea ted.
The report OF the committee on reSolu-
tons after affirming and ratifying the plat
form adopted by the democratic national
convention at St Louis July ., 1904, de-
clareS in favor of the initiative and refer
enuum, the state primary, protection allKe
OF capital and labor. sanctity of the ballot
good roads home rule, and urged the strict
enforcement of the constitutional provision
ana statutory enactment prohibiting the
l. Of
road transportation. United States Senator
Francis NJ. Cockrell was heartily lnd2rsed
10, reelection
A Paramount Issue.
on the subject of bribery, the eradication
OF which is pointed out as the paramount
issue of the democratic party in Missouri,
the platform says:
THE appalling exposures Of corruption in
Missouri have brought upon the good cit-
zens of this state the responsibility of
stamping out the things that dishonor and
oppress. Good citizens may lnnnocently do
wrong, but liberation of known abuses is
criminal No party can be hurt by getting
rid of rascals. No state can be injured by
the enforcement of law. The disgrace is
in liberation, not in cOrrupung. lhefe can
be no grander mission in store for any po-
Htical party than to fight public evils. Inc
subject of the eradication OF brlpery Is
more important than any other, Tor other
problems concern the functions of govern
ment, while this goes to the existence or
government itself. Corruption In pubhc
life. if tolerated will lead to the destruc-
tion of free government.
Inveighs Against Bribery.
where bribery rules there is a govern
ment not Of for and by the people, but a
government Of and for the few with wealth
enough to purchase official favors. Other
offenses violate the law, while bribery aims
at the assassination of the commonwealth
itself. In the city of st. Louis, according
To the confessions of those implicated for
twenty-five years bribery stalked through
the legislative halls. CorruptonlstS grew
arrogant and powerful. They were conn,
dent In their wealth and polltlcal power anu
felt that no one dared attack them In
our state legislature legislators have for-
gotten their high commission and nave pe-
come involved in the meshes OF greco.
Democratic officials have exposed these
conditions and laid upon the offenders the
heavy hand of the law. we 1ndorse tne
work that has been done In this regard.
Nomination for Governor.
The convention then settled down to the
nomination of a candidate for governor In
a most eloquent speech, which was cheereo
at frequent intervals w. H. Wallace OF
Kansas City placed before the convention
the name of Joseph l.. FOLK. Ihomas l..
Anderson, city attorney of st. Louis, with
equal eloquence placed before the conVeh-
tion the name of Harry Il. HaWeS
After speeches seconding the nomina-
tions had been made and several support
ers of James A. Reed of Kansas city mad
spoken in his behalf, a roll call was de-
manded on the nominations. When the
roll had been about half called, showing
a heavy support for Folk, Harry b.
Hawes arose and moved to make the vote
unanimous, which was done. HaWes es-
corted Mr. Folk to the platform, and after
the cheering had been subdued he was
introduced and made speech, accepting
the nomination
Mr. Folk spoke in part as follows:
Folks Acceptance Speech.
Joseph w. Folk, in accepting the nomi
nation, said in part:
when l see about me representatives
of the democratic party of Missouri, and
when / realize 1 have been chosen to rep
resent the plans and policies of that great
party / am profoundly impressed with
the responsibility of my position While
/ am gratified by the confidence you nave
expressed in me. l do not congratulate
myself upon the high honor you have
done me, because my mind is full of
anxious desire to perform well the part
that has been assigned to me. This cam
paign has been waged not for n man, but
for an idea. / don't claim to have done
anything to merit this distinction in the
place of trust assigned to me, l have en-
deavored to do my duty under my oath of
office to my city and state.
How well l have succeeded / could not
say. If your selection shall be ratified
by the people of the state. l shall do my
very best to carry out the policies for
which the masses OF the democratic party
has been contending. The exposure of
corruption In Missouri has made the peo-
pie realize the menace to good govern
ment il it is tolerated, and the necessity
of stamping out the influence of corrup-
tonists from our political life. l have
been fighting them with all the powers
at my command and have lash<d them
with the whip of the law. l haze no IA
vors to ask of them and no quarter to
give. 1t is unrelenting warfare to the
end. In their frenZied desperation they
have spewed out their vomit of slander
and abuse. There are two things l am
proud of: One, the aid and assistance of
good citizens given me. and the other, the
intense hatred and malicious mouthings
of corrupt enemies.
1.-The responsibility for the nx.stence of