The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-01-14

sive local seif-gos eminent In the selec-
uou 81 local officials 10 any part OF the
state, then IL would seem thai the entire
theory OF our government Is wrong. IL
tho people OF these cities do not take
enough interest In public Affairs 10 secure
good government Tor themselves, they
ought not to expect 10 get II from the
outside. Il is insisted hat the criminal
classes congregate In the larger cites,
and II the police departments, for ins
stance, are subject 20 local control, these
Criminal classes would have an undue in
iiuence over the members OF the DEPART
ments. Unfortunately, II Is true that the
criminal and corrupS though constituting
blu a small proportion Of the entire pop
ulation OF the great cities, have a pow
erful influence in politics, by reason Of
their pernicious activity. They have This
influence, however. because of the mac
tvity OF good citizens Local self-govern-
ment would compel the latter, IN self
protection, to attend TO the public BUSH
ness, which is their own business, after
all.
method of selecting the commissioners or
not, the police departments In all the
cities should be put under civil-service
rules by Law. Promotion should be the
cution of duty ought to be the only
standard by which to Judge those who
guard our lives and property. As long as
the police departments Of these cities are
under my control as governor l intend
they shall be kept out Of politics. Police
men shall be conservators of the peace In
the truest sense. Every member Of the de-
partment should have the same rights to
political beliefs n to exercise them
freely as other citizens; but the use OF
the police as a machine in favor Of one
sid or another in political contests will
not be tolerated. Their duty to the pub
lie must be paramount to their obliga-
lions to any organization.
Elections.
You will be called upon to consider
amendments Of the election laws Of the
state applicable particularly to populOus
centers. Every safeguard should be
thrown around the ballot, for the purity
Of the ballot Is the very foundation Of
free government. II the ballot be cor
rupted, the spring OF government is poi
soned at It's beginning. Amendments
would be advisable giving election COM
misSioners more over to supervise tho
work II judges and clerks. and TO enable
any citizen. upon Hing application, 70
question the legality Of any registered
vote, to the end that the registration iietq
may be purged OF fraud before the day OF
election. Proper amendments should be
made In the laws, and then the people
Wholesale changes every two years are
not desirable, for as soon as the people
become acquainted with one form Of ball
lot the system is changed to SOM other
Y ANAAN NAN ANNn 1AA
planned Of do not grow out Of the laws,
but from the name In which the laws
are executed. Many Of these evils can
be corrected by reforming the admins
tration OF the law. AT the same time, the
more perfect the law can be made. the
better. l want It so that every demo-
crat, every republican, every populist,
every citizen Of every party and OF no
party shall have the right to &c to his
polling place and vote Just as he pleases,
without Interference from any source. |
intend to. do all In my power to guar
entee each citizen protection In casting
his ballot and having II counted as cast,
and no more counted than are cast.
COmpuIsO DRY Voting.
This leads to another subject. While
each citizen must be protected In voting,
the state Is entitled to ave each citizen
vote, in order that the result of the
election may be the just sentiment OF
the people of the state. The exercise OF
the franchise is the highest duty of citi-
zenship, yet how careless many are In
using this privilege, how Indifferent many
citizens are as to whether they vote or
not. The right of suffrage is a priceless
privilege; 1t marks the difference between
the citizen and IA subject. Men lave
lied in order that we might have this
right, and We would give up our lives
rather han lose it. 1t would seem to
be only lust that those who do not prize
this privilege enough to exercise II ought
rot to nave II. The knowledge hat failure
20 vote, would disfranchlse them and make
them political eunuchs would bring home
to them a realization Of its supreme
value. Too many men AXE the greal
boon Of American citizenship as a mat.
ter Of course, Forgetting the blood and
treasure that bought 1t for them, Let
him who without good cause avoids this
simple duty be barred by law from all
the privileges that flow from citizenship
leaving to the individual the right In prop
er proceedings to purge his disqualified
tlon. Then there would be less trouble II
obtaining a full and free expression Of
public opinion at the polls. When a cor
p%oratlon obtains a franchise. II is forfeit
ed by non-user. Apply this principle
with appropriate safe guards Z
the privilege of voting n II Will Dc
more han anything else to remedy thu
evil Of civic Indifference hat is the weak
ness Of a republican form OF govern
ment. =.
state Primary Law.
The nearer government can be brough
to the people, the purer and better tina
government viii be; To that END, a stat
primary law should be enacted, whereby
all nominations for state. county ant
municipal offices will be made by pri
mary held on the same day all over tn
state by all political parties, with tn
same number OF voting places as In tn
general election and the expenses palt
In the same n This would d.
away with the political boss, for the PEG
pie would then be boss. The professional
boss delights In a multiplicity Of prlma
ries and conventions. The ordinary citi
zen, after attending one or two conven
lions and primaries, becomes weary an
gives his attention to other matters, leav
ing the feld to those who are In polite
for revenue only. The result is, unles
the people are intensely aroused, noml
nations are made. not by the people, bu
by those who ho We a selfish interest I
be served. A sta tie primary would, as.
rule, nominate tho best men and tn
nominees would represent the people
|. With a state primary law, there woul
a be just two days that the citizen woul
: have to dsvote-One to go to the poll
/ for the nomination and the other to 6
> ia the polls and vote in the general cleo
r ton. The benefits Of this system are a
4 once apparent n commend themSelve
to all except those who have a selfs
. motive In retaining present conditions.
United States Senator's BY People.
I AS another step in the direction of go,
= eminent By the people, United State
y senator's ought to be elected by the pee
pie, and Missouri should lead the deman
for a constitutional amendment proviC
ing for this eform.
a Labor and Capital.
: Among the problems we must deal wit
! is the relation between labor and capita
y This is one Of the most important que
tons Of the hour. Labor has RICH
: which capital should recognize, and cal
g ital has rights which abor SHOULD N
q disregard. Capital without labor wou
be idle, and labor without capital won
be unenployed-sach Is necessary to II
: other. Since the lawn of creation m,
have disagreed and disputed about the
{ rights; this will always be so long
n human nature controls. One can not O
ways be right and the other alwa.
wrong. The principle of arbltratio
y properly and fairly enforced, will resi-