Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-03-03
sam B. COOK
the Ledger in Reference to
the Action Of the County Dem
ocrafic Convention.

torlal criticisiEg the action OF the
Audrain County COMMITTEE for not
ordering a primary for all State off,
GERS, You use the following language:
every man who is In favor of a
fair deal, and giving the rank and
file their choice, will favor the
primary. The man who opposes
it only wants to defeat the viii of
the people,
1t is not the purpose OF this article
to question the sincerity of purpose or
the unselfsh Democracy of those mem.
bers OF the committee who voted for
Mr.. Remnants motion to Include the
names OF all candidates for State off,
ces in the county primary to be held
May It'll. 1t is a narrow Democrat,
indeed, who cannot recognize the
right Of other Democrats to follow
their own judgment as to what is best
in party matters, but ] respectfully
submit that there is nothing in the
lives, political or otherwise, Of the
members OF the committee, who did
not see proper TO follow Mr.. Remnants
dictum, to justify the insinuation, II
not the direct charge, that they are
opposed to a "fair DEAL" do not want
the frank and file to have their
choice" or want to "defeat the will
OF the people"
Some very foolish things are being
said in this campaign. Why is 1t nee
essary to impugn the motives Of a
majority OF the Democratic commit
tee Of Audrain? In what particular
are Mr.. KEENAN,, Mr.. Cunningham,
Mr.. Dowell, MT. Barnes, OF Mr.. Will
son, who voted for Mr.. Remnants mo-
tion, better Democrats or more in
touch with the rank and file of the
county than Mr., Hostetter Mr.. Dan
iels, Mr.. Davault, Mr.. Travis,
Mr.. Whitney, Mr.. Crum, Mr..
Groves, Mr.. Berry, Mr.. Shoupe, Mr..
Buckner, Mr.. Harris, Mr.. Littrell or
Mr.. Peyton, who voted against Mr..
Remnants motion? What is there in
the lives of these last named citizens
of Audrain, either politically or other
wise, which would justify the charge
that they are opposed to a flair deal?''
When did they cease to be Of the rank
and tile?" Or In what instance did
they ever attempt to defeat the twill
OF the people?"
There is a superabundance Of cheap
demagogery just now about the frank
and file'' of the party. Statesmen
out Of a job are glib OF talk on this
subject, and not a few Of them are
desperately ~endeavoring Ito make of
themselves self-constituted guardians
of the people. There is no class among
the Democrats OF Audrain, and very
little Of 1t among Missouri Democrats
in any portion of the State. The
rank and file" in Audrain includes
every Democrat who Loyalty and I'M
selfishly upholds the banner OF his
party and who in good faith accepts
the result Of his party contests, wheth-
Ter it is in accordance with his own
personal interests or not. The frank
and file" Of Audrain are not in any
distressing need Of the protection OF
disappointed guardians. They are
men, with iron In their blood, abun
dainty able to think for themselves
and take care Of their own interests
and In proper time they will not hes
litate to resent the impertinen.
assumption OF disgruntled politician
who attempt TO speak for them.
Now, just a word as to Mr.. Ken
mans motion providing for a primar.
on al State officers. Mr.. Kennal
knew when he made his motion tina
not a single county in the State, whicl
has a candidate for a position on tn
: State ticket has or will hold a primar
for State officers. And he knew tina
! should the Audrain committee orde
, such a primary, that its action weul'
be hailed with delight by Lon Steph
ems and Bill Phelps, and every pOlii
ical enemy / have in the State. II
; knew that such action on the part c
D the committee would subject me I
disadvantages which no other cand.
! date for a State Office would have {
confront, and he also knew that hi
motion, il it had succeeded, wOul
t have made it possible to defeat me
e the Nominating Convention. II
S knew, too, that many of my friend
, who had signed the petition for
J State primary, had done 50 withou
J deliberate consideration and withou
realizing the purpose back Of ;be Me-
leo statesmen who instigated th
movement.
. There are four candidates for Cove
: nor, fully as many for L~ieutenar
. Governor, and as many more for A
: torney General; two or three for Stat
Treasurer, and something like ADOBE
for Railroad Commissioner. Only on
for each Office could secure the indorsl
} ment OF Audrain, while all OF thOs
, who failed would, in the very natul
! OF things, array themselves agains
the Audrain candidate. No n know
this better than Mr.. KEENAN,. ID
e any Democrat in our County eve hes
of Mr.. KEENAN, suggesting a State pr
mary for ali State officers when h
D close personal and political frient
Z ID. II. Mcintyre, was a candidate Il
Attorney General? What would NJ
KEENAN, have said then II the pr
) position had been made TO instrut
c the Audrain delegation from Cove
nor 10 Railroad Commissioner Al
q the Democrats Of Audrain 0 less II
u telligent, less loyal, or less unselfis
than they were when General NJ
Intyre was a candidates Has publ
e confidence descended to such a low ct
that there cannot be found among u
c $500 Democrats Of Audrain a sufiicieI
D number Of delegates to honestly az
d faithfully represent them in a Sta
Nominating Convention?
I'll HH---E