The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-09-10

fault 70 point 10 a single instance where
"a oouoler mas ever been exposed or pros
ecuted By a Republican official in Mis-
souri, There has been none; no, not
one. Everything that has been done has
been done by the Democratic party.
FRUIT REPUBLICANS OFFER MIS-
SOURI,.
Does Missouri van the fruit St Louis
got?
It was under Republican rule In ST.
Louis, from 1898 20 1901. that corruption
reached It's highest point. Then IL was
mat the city grew ripe and went 10 rot:
The corruption OF that era unearthed
since has astounded the civilized world
and appalled, good citizens everywhere.
conditions In the lawmaklng body OF
tue city were so wretched that even the
Globe-Democrat, the Republican organ,
in March, 1896. spoke Of the Republican
administration as follows:
1T is AN OPEN SECRET THAT
FRANCHISES OF ALL KINDS ARE
THERE is REASON TO BELIEVE
THAT THE FELLOWS WITH ITCH
ING PALMS DC NOT CONFINE
THEIR DISHONESTY TO THAT OR
TO ANY OTHER PARTICULAR CLASS
OF ORDINANCES. WHEN BILLS ARE
INTRODUCED, THEY ARE CLOSELY
SCANNED TO SEE IF THEY OFFER
ANY CHANCE FOR THE LEYYING
SEEM TO PRESENT SUCH AN OP-
PORTUNITY ARE HELD UP UNTIL
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY is
PAID FOR THEIR PASSAGE. THIS is
M0I A NATTER OF IDLE ASSER-
ton OR MALICIOUS SURMISE, BUT
OF COMMON UNDERSTANDING; AND
THE VICTIMS SUBMIT TO THE ROB-
Berry BECAUSE THAT is THE ONLY
WAY in WHICH THEY CAN SECURE
WHAT THEY WANT"
Corruption was king. Combines in both
branches OF the municipal assembly sold
laws to the highest bidder. Public in
situations were neglected; public build
ings went into decay; sewers were UNI
made streets were unkept. Taxes were
high and the city's finances low. Cit
liens CROPPED about at night with no light
to guide their footsteps except the pale
rays Of the moon or the Pickering CLEANS
OF a hand lantern. Official debauchery
shrieked through the city and laughed
al the protests Of an indignant public.
Developments since them have shown
that Rome In her most venal period was
innocent compared to st. Louis under
this dynasty. Finally the people rose up
and overthrow that regime through the
Democratic party. Now 1t is solemnly
proposed to cure corruption in Missouri
by turning the state over to the same
organization that ran St. Louis in her
corrupted and darkest days! When Christ
was on earth he pointed to the prOduC-
lions Of Nature and declared that the
same relation existed between the visible
results of human efforts. "Ye shall know
G by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thOrns or figs of thistles? Even
so every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit" The people Of st. Louis gath
cred from this tree the thorns Of a de-
based public service. Do the people Of
Jefferson City? al Il be expected to
produce figs there when II gave thistles
to st. Louis? Shall Missouri be run as
St. Louis was run? God Forbid Mis-
] gOnTi tasted Of that fr1if nnnp and thngR
were the blacklist days in the history of
CONCLUSION.
Some Of us are Democrats, some are
Republicans, all are Missourians. Let us
be Missourians before we are partizans.
The rank and file of the Democratic party
Is honest, and the rank and file of the Re
publican party is honest. If danger from
foreign aggression should arise, Democrats
and Republicans would forget their differ
ences and join hands In fighting for the
honor Of Missouri. Let that same spirit
prevail In defending the state from do
justice and enthrone iniquity. Democrats
and Republicans, as you would do battle
for the state against the enemies Of war,
ask you to protect your state from
these enemies of peace. Every citizen Is
a soldier in the army Of peace. There
nave been many battles fought for lib
erty In the history of the world, but the
fight now going on in Missouri is one
" AAAC hAE9AAhL AaAldAA Is III AL
the tide of ines. 1t is a battle for g
government by the people against the
blighting influences of corruption In pub
lie life. There is a constant, conflc'
between evil and good in every sphere O.
life. Everything that is good must bC
fought for; the bad will take care Of
itself. The difference between virtue anC
vice, truth and falsehood is the sam,
as between the wheat that is sown anC
} the thorns that grow wild on the high.
way. The useful grain must be protected
/ and nurtured, while the thistle will -four
ish anywhere. So 1t is in government
, and private affairs, the battle agains'
wrong is never over, the fight for tn,
right is never quite finished. Eterna
vigilance Is ever the price Of liberty.
/ The Democratic party must be either
? ndorsed or ~repudtated for the stand /
: has taken. If the Democratic party Il
t indorsed, other political parties will Dc
/ like the Democratic party has done, anC
; the reign of Doodle will be at an enc
' throughout the land. If the Democratic
4 party is condemned, then no other party
5 Is apt TO fight corruption, and v%enality
} will hold undisputed sway. Those VIII
4 believe In free government are looking
r to Missouri to see 1t indicated by
5 righteous citizenship. Missourians, wha
= will your verdict be on this mighty issue
[ 1t Is for you to say what message vol
: will send to the world. viii it be on,
t that Will give encouragement and chez
to cOrruptionists everywhere, or one tina.
Will strike CONSERVATION In their ranks
e May your aetien be such that the host
Y Of error will be vanquished. and thei
y the morning Of a new day will lawn
: In our political life.
: Then the glad acclaim will be hearC
i from one end of the land to the other
! Sound the loud timbrel Ger and o'e
4 sea,
4 For Missouri has s%poken-and the peopl
s are free"