The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-10-19
JOB FOLK on REFORM IiLII
Governor of Eisscuri Addresses
LargeAudienc- in ! hiladelphia.
ELECTIONS WILL SWAY COUNTRY

Declares Benefit Of a Victory For
Good Government viii se Universal.
The People Can Overthrow Civic
Evils.
Philadelphia. Oct Il. - The great
battle between the local Republican
organization and the City Party. the
municipal reform organization re-
Gently formed here. was enliyened by
the visit of Governor Joseph Folk, oil
Missouri. who came to lend his voice
in the interest of good government
The Missouri governor addressed a
large and enthusiastic audience in the
Academy of Music. He spok~ under
tho auspices OF the City Club. which
claims no connection with the Cily
Party.
The crowd that attempted to gain
entrance to the Academy was so great
that the doors were closed before the
meeting began. Several thousand per
sons who could not get in were adj
dressed by City Party speakers. Gov
ernor Folk said in part:
THE most conspicuous fact OF mu-
nicipal governments in the United
States today is that they are govern
ments by the few and not by the peo-
pie. There is more aggressive rotten
ness and less aggressive patriotism IN
our large cities than anywhere else
II the patriotism can be made as ag-
eressiye as the rottenness. the prob
lem of good government would De
solved by the people taking the gov
eminent into their own hands. II cor
rnption exists in Philadelphia, the peo-
ple are to blame; If corruption Is 10
be eradicated the people alone can
do 1t. The fight you are making here
Is n battle which will be felt by every
town. city and state in the land. Inc
benefit of a victory for good govern
ment will be universal. and the EVIL
efforts of defeat will demorallze
those who believe in good government
by the people. The average man does
not appreciate the solemn duty ne
owes his city. state and his country.
"The strength of the lawless ele-
ment is great. but it is nothing whea
II comes in contact with a public con-
science thoroughly aroused. Philadel-
mia AT last seems to be awakening.
and though the gang has been strong
II Is being shattered beneath the shafts
OF public opinion under the leadership
of Mayor Weaver The people can
overthrow civic evils whenever they
want TO and get just as good govern
ment as they deserve or as bad as they
permit II to become.
THE moral revolution that Is now
sweeping over the land is merely
revival of the rule Of the people. Four
years ago the laws against bribery IN
all of the states were considered as
practically dead letters. Not because
the ofrense was uncommon, but be-
cause II was uncommon for officials
to be prosecuted for It. Here was
crime worse than any other. for their
offense violated the law, while bribery
strikes at the foundation Of all laws.
Yet the law denOuncing II was not en-
forced: bribery became the usual and
expected thing all over the land; cor
rupt men Toasted and fattened at pub
lie expense. laws became merchandise
on the market, and all this time the
pnblic conscience was asleep. When
the revelation came the people saw
how they had been plundered, they
saw the ofsense in all its enormity.
and from one end of the land to the
other there was a civic awakening.
ANY special privilege is a graft.
Monopoly, even law protected priyi-
leges. are graft and should be hateful
10 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 of commercial In
to the age Of high ideals. A political
party has no right to ask for support
because It Is that party. but because
IL stands for the right II a political
party cannot get votes on the ground
of patriotism 1t has no right to ask for
votes on the ground Of partisanship.
II have spoken of corruption, brib-
cry and grating. using the terms as
they are commonly used synony-
mously. While the effect on the public
may be as injurious from grating as
from boodling there is a distinction be-
tween them. The boOdler sells his vote
and prostitutes his trust for bride
money contrary to law, but the CRATER
Is not always a boodler. The remedy
for corruption. bribery and grating
OF every kind is to enforce the law. If
the system is working an illegal game
instead Of trying to beat the game, the