The Irish standard., 1905-04-08

WV" 10 pioau, nlen and FULL. The nose
is straight, but not characteristic.
In profile the governors head and
face have a suggestion of Napoleon.
The curve of the brow, the slant Of
the nose, the full, clean-cut lips. the
aggressive chin and the shadow out of
which the clear eye looks from its
socket remind one family of the pic.
lures OF the great Corsican.
But he is a plain man, this hunter
OF bribe-givers and bribe-takers: plain
IN manner, plain in dress, devoid of
Jewelry or other Qualifications. the
inevitable slouch hat of the West and
South being the only thing about him
that even the most critical Eastern
man might call peculiar
While he had talked to me about the
issue OF corruption he spoke in an
even tone, apparently without a trace
OF feeling, but an occasional tremu.
lous contraction of the brows indicat.
ed the nervous quality lying behind
the otherwise immobile face. There
was, too, concentrated look in the
eyes that came and went as he grew
more or less serious. But all together.
in spite of the amiable smile, it was a
countenance grave almost beyond the
possibility of humor.
good many men met and talked
with the young governor during his
visit to New York. They told him that
he was likely to be the next president
OF the United States. They declared
hat he was certain to receive the
nomination by the next Democratic
national convention. They assured
him that the whole nation was talk.
ing about him and his deeds. All these
things he heard in silence, with the
ever-careful smile. Nor was there one
or all who saw him who could saw
whether Governor Folk intended to
ally himself with the radical or with
the conservative faction of his party,
No matter what political subject
was introduced in conversation. he
turned the matter promptly into a dis.
cussion of the graft issue. That was
the burden of all his utterances, pub.
lie or private. He proclaimed it every.
where as "the Missouri idea"
From what the boodlers of Missouri
confessed to me-" said the governor.
II believ that bribery has been ram
pant in cities and legislatures from
one end of the country to the other"
1t is difficult to convey an idea of the
gravity and conviction of his manner
as he said this. He doubled his strong
hand up and brought it slowly down
upon his knee
This issue is as vital and eminent
in New York and Albany as it has
been in st. Louis or Jefferson City,"
he continued. 1T is as serious in Chi.
cago as in New York. There can be
little doubt about that Yet in my
Judgment the corruptionists can be
overthrow everywhere as they were
overthrow in Missouri. 1t is all a
matter of patience and courage The
prosecutors have only to close their
eyes to politics and open them to Off,
cial duty, remembering always that at
least ninety-nine men out of every
hundred are honest and will support
them only for the public good.
"The more | see of the people the
more faith l have in the intelligence
of the average American citizen. [
am convinced that no corrupt combi-
nation can be formed of sufficient
strength or cunning to withstand pub
lie sentiment when once it is aroused.
The trouble is that the corruptlonls,s,
the boodlers, all over the country have
a sort of masonic bond of sympathy,
working shoulder to shoulder, while
honest citizens are divided. But when
once the public conscience is aroused
the result is irresistible. The thing
to do is to get at the facts and to
relentlessly expose them. The public
is quick to respond and support facts.
Once establish the fact of corruption
and the public will do the rest.