The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-17
COV. FOLK TALKS IN PHILADELPHIA Says Moral Revolution is Sweep
 ing Over County ANY MONOPOLY IS GRAFT Governor Is Gwen Enthusiastic Well come In Pennsylvania and Lends
 Aid In Interest of Good
 Government.
ANY MONOPOLY IS GRAFT

Philadelphia. October 16.-The great bat tie between the local republican organiza- tion and the city party, the municipal reform organization recently formed here, was enlivened today by the visit of Gov ernor Folk of Missouri, who came to lend his voice in the interest of good gov- ernment The Missouri governor tonight addressed a large and enthusiastic audi ence In the Academy of Music He spoke under the auspices of the City club, which claius no connection with the city party. Governor Folk had an exceedingly busy day and his reception wherever he ap- peared during the day and evening was flattering.
 The crowd that attended to again en- trance to the Academy tonight was so great that the doors were closed before the meeting began. Several thousand per- sons who could not get in were addressed by city City club speakers. While the curbstone mas meeting was in progress Governor Folk arrived, and the assem- blaze would not permit him to enter the building until he had addressed them. He made a short speech. When he entered the academy the entire audience stood up to welcome him.
 President Burnham in explaining the objects of the club said the organization was allied with no party; that 1t neither endorsed nor named candidates. but stood ready to help any genuine movement for good government. He presented Wayne McVeagh, who made a brief speech, intro- ducin1s Covernor Folk
 Governor Folk Speaks.
 Governor Folk spoke in part as follows: "The most conspicuous fact of munich pal governments in the United States to- day is that the government is by the few and not by the people. There is more ag- gressive rottenness and less aggressive patriotism in our large cities than any where efSc.s-If the~patxiotism can be made as aggressive as the rottenness, the prob lem of good government would be solved by the people taking the government 1nto their own hands If corruption exists in Philadelphia, the people are to blame; II corrupt n Is to be eradieated, the people alone can do 1t. The fight you are making here is a battle which will be felt by every town. city and state in the land The benefit of victory for good gov ernment will be universal and the evil effects of defeat will demoralize those who believe in good government by the neople. The average man does not ap- preciate the solemn duty ne owes HIS city, state and his county.
 Patriotism Comes From Heart
 .The moral revolution now sweeping ; over the land means the patriotsih .iia' comes from the heart, not from the head. Many men would be willing if need be to give up their lives for their city or state if they are needed sometimes, and this kind of patriotism cannot be too much commended but the man who is willing to live for his city and state every day is the man that is needed just now There may be as much patriotism In giving ones time to the betterment of civil conditions and the election of good men to office, and in purifying the ballot as in barring ones breast to the bullets of an enemy. There never was time when the need for patriotic men in public affairs was greater than now. We need more men actuated alone by the de- sire for the public good and fewer of those who are in politics merely for rev. enue.
 '.The strength of the lawless element Is great but 1t is as nothing when it comes In contact with public conscience thoroughly aroused. Philadelphia at last seems to be awakened, and though the gang has been strong. 1t Is being shat tered beneath the shafts of public opinion under the leadership of Mayor Weaver. The people can overthrow civic evil whenever they want to and get just as good government as they deserve or as bad as they permit it to become.
 Are In Majority.
 ''The law-abiding people are in the ma jority in Philadelphia, and there is hardly a community In this country of which this cannot be said They are usually uybt1 Ia awlac ca very vociferous as to deceive many as to their number. They may bluff and bulldoze, but they are towards. and If resolutely fought they can be overcome. They are always active however, while the average good citizen becomes aroused occasionally. The moral revolution that Is now sweeping over the land is merely a revival of the rule of the people. Four years ago the laws of bribery In all of the states were considered as practically dead letters. Not because the offense was so common, but because 1t was un- common for officials to be prosecuted for if. When the prosecutions were com- menced in St. Louis members of the house O. delegates claim this bribery had been going on so long they were entitled to notice to quit before being prosecuted.
 Some of them argued that the mem bers of the house of delegates. having been taking bribes from time immemorial, nau dcqulTeu Il TlBnI 10 uO so, and 1t was just as proper for them to sell their votes as for the mercnant to sell his wares. Here was crime worse than any other. for their offense violated the law. while bribery strikes at the foundation of all laws. The law denouncing 1t was enforced, bribery became the usual and expected thing all over the land; corrupt men feasted and fattened at public ex- pense: laws became merchandise on the market, and all this time the public con science was asleep. When the revelation came the people saw how they had been plundered; they saw the offense in all it's enormity. and from one end of the land to the other there was a civic awaken ing.
 Monopoly is Graft.
 'Any special privilege is a graft. Mo nopoly, even law-protected privileges, are grafts, and should be hateful to every fair-minded citizen. Unless the spirit of civic righteousness now abroad in the land dies out, and there Is no Likelihood of that, we will pass from the sordid age
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