Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-19
MAKE Law
THE MASTER
THIS IS THE CURE FOR GRAFT
ADVISED BY GOVERNOR
FOLK
TALKS IN PHILADELPHIA
Goes Into the Hotbed Of Municipal
Grating and Tells Mayor Weaver
and the Rest How to Conquer the
Men Who Pick the Public Pocket.

Philadelphia, Pa Oct. II. - ''The
remedy. for corruption, bribery, for
grating of every kind is to enforce
the law. If the system Us working an
illegal game, instead Of trying to beat
the game, the better way is to stop
the game"
With these words Governor Folk of
Missouri last night closed his address
to monster meeting under the au-
spices of the City club, in the interest
If good government. The meeting was
held at the Academy of Music, which
was crowded to the doors long before
The hour set for the proceedings to
cegin. Several thousand persons who
were unable to get in organized an
overflow meeting outside which was
addressed by City party speakers. Gov
ernor Folk arrived while the curb
stone meeting was in progress and
was compelled to make a short speech
before the assemblage would allow
him to enter the building.
Welcome to Governor.
The entire audience stood up to well
come Governor Folk when he entered
the hall. With him on the stage were
George Bunrham Jr., president of the
City club; former Postmaster General
Charles Emory Smith, former United
States Attorney General Wayne Mac
Veagh, William Potter, former United
States minister to Italy, and about
hundred other prominent citizens.
Mayor Weaver occupied a proscenium
box and was given a warm welcome
when he appeared. Governor Folk
was introduced by Wayne Macveagh
and spoke in part as follows:
"The most conspicuous fact of NUM-
cipal governments in the United States
today Is that they are governments by
the few and not by the people. There
Is more aggressive rottenness and less
aggressive patriotism in our large cities
than anywhere else. If the patriotism
can be made as aggressive as the rot
tenness, the problem of god govern
ment would be solved by the people
taking the government into their own
hands. If corruption exists in Phila-
delphia the people are to blame; If
corruption is to be eradicated the peo-
pie alone can do it.
Benefit Universal.
'The fight you are making here is
battle which will be felt by every
town, city and state in the land The
benefit of victory for good govern
ment will be universal and the evil
effects of defeat will demoralize those
who believe in good government by
the people The average man does
not appreciate the solemn duty he owes
his city, his state and his country.
The moral revolution now sweeping
over the land means the patriotism
that 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 highly 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 bettermeut of civic condi-
lions and the election of good men to
office and in purifying the ballot as in
bearing ones breast to the bullet of
an enemy. There never was a tine
when the need for patriotic men in
public affairs was greater than now.
We need more men actuated alone by
the public good and fewer of those
who are in politics merely for revenue.
Public is Master.
''The strength of the lawless element
is great, but it is as nothing when it
comes in contact with a public con-
science thoroughly aroused. Philadel-
phia at last seems to be awakened.
and though the gang has been strong,
1t is being shattered beneath the