The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-15

law abiding people are in the ma
jority, and even from the sordid stand
point of politics it will be found bet
ter to serve the law abiding people
than the Iawless; these do not under
stand moral ideals and moral prin-
ciples.'
Governor Folk said that whenever
a public official enforced a statute
which was Objectionable to some ele-
ment or which interferes with some
of its supposed rights, the cry went up
that such statute was a blue law" 1t
was so in st. Louis when he began the
prosecution Of boodlers, and men
brazenly asserted that because bribery
had been going on, unchecked, for %
years, bribery, therefore, was not
wrong. The people awoke to the fact,
however, that government by bribery
was not government by the people,,
and the result was the trials which at
tracted the attention of the country.
You have heard" the governor
continued, that the gambling law
and the saloon law could not be en-
forced but they are being enforced
in ST. Louis, Kansas City and st.
Joseph. and 1 say they shall continue
to be enforced so long as 1 am gov
ernor of Missouri 1 don't care how
they howl or how they rage or curse.
If | can please the law abiding and
displease the lawless I shall be salts
fed. You will hear them say it is
political suicide to enforce laws like
those. I had rather walk into my
political grave if necessary than be
false to my oath of office. There has
been too much toadying to the lawless
saloon element for their political sup
port. They expect to be allowed to
violate law in return for political sup
port. That is how the lawless obtain
their power. The law abiding people
are to blame for this, for they tolerate
it by their Indifference. If good citi-
Zens would become as active as bad
moral millennium would be
the result. =
The jerome Theory.
I'VE are TODD" the governor contin
Ted, that there should be two sets of
statutes, one for the moral yearnings of
rural communities, and, 1 suppose, the
other for the Immoral yearningS of the
cities. The latter would be wonderful
books to see. The moral yearnings of
rural communities are the backbone of
this nation. Without them it would
long ago have gone down to decay. If
we have to depend on the immoral
warnings of large cities the situation
would be deplorable indeed"
The governor said it was for the peo-
pie to say whether they wanted the
laws enforced. The benefits derived
from their enforcement in Kansas City,
st. Louis and st. Joseph, he said, were
shown in the records of the police courts
Monday morning and in the hospitals
and in the happy homes where families
are now enjoying comforts they had
long been denied. The thanks of good
mother, he said, fully compensated for
all the curses and abuse of thousands
of lawless.
Indicating Governor Hoch, the speak
er said, IF you only knew the in
huences brought to bear on your gov
ernor every day to make him false to
you, you would stand up and cheer
the audience did cheer.
There is more honor in honest private
Iife.'' he continued. ethan in high official
position gained by the sacrifice of prin-
ciples. There is a constant conflict be-
tween the forces of evil and good in ev-
cry sphere of life. You people of Otta-
wa should give your governor every
moral aid in the efforts he is making.
He may be ever so willing, but without
your moral support he cannot do much.
With you good people behind him he
can bring about a moral revolution in
Kansas. You should not be inactively
behind him but actively and energet-
ically, Kansas needs that kind of men;
every state needs Them