The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-01-21
FOLK PLEADS FOR
HIGHER IDEALS.
MiSsouris Governor Delivers
Address in Boston
INDIVIDUALS MUST BE PURE
Speaker Is Accorded a Hearty Recep-
ton as He Says Same Ideals Are
Necessary In All Parts of
the Country.

Boston, January 20.-Five hundred of the
leading business men of Boston, members
of the Boston Merchants association, at
tended the annual dinner of the organiza-
ton at the Hotel Somerset tonight, and
heard addresses by Governor Joseph W.
Folk of Missouri, Mayor John Weaver of
Philadelphia and Governor Curtis Guild.
Governor Folk was accorded a hearty re-
ception. He discussed in a general way
reform In politics. He spoke in part as
follows:
THE more 1 become acquainted with
this country the more l am impressed
with the fact that there is not much diff
ference between the sections after all.
The bad people are alike everywhere, and
good people are the same wherever they
may be found. The difference is in ex-
ternal appearance, caused by different
circumstances and different problems of
light. Though some belong to one state
and some to another, all are now Ameri-
cans. In solving the great problems that
confront the American people, the pa
triotism of the west Is the same as the
patriotism of the east Time was when d
speech appropriate In Massachusetts
would have been very inappropriate in
Missouri That is not so now. Never be-
been less sectionalism than there Is to-
day; never before have the American
people been so united In mind and in pa
triotic purpose. There is now but one
heart in all-north, east, south, west
and that Is the heart of America. Never
In all history were greater movements
in progress than those now going on.
Reforms Were Merely Local.
There have been great reform move
ments of a political nature in days gone
by. but they were merely local. The peo-
pie were not awakened; there was no
constancy In the movement; no concert
of action; no organization of the forces
of REFORM nothing but local crusades
brought on by local influences, which died
with the movements that gave them
birth. The present reveals a situation of
brighter promise to the lovers of good
government Reform shows signs of be-
coming universal instead of local and
transitory. The revolt from political OPP
preston Is rearing its head in city after
city and state after state. A civic regen-
Grafton Is going on all over the land, and
It's influences are extending from the do
main of the public to that of the private
wrongdoer and probing into the dolngs
of rascals of every kind. The elections
of last November were but the taking
of the first breastworks of the opposition.
The fight must be and will be kept up
with unceasing vigor, and the time will
never come when the people can be secure
of their political liberty while they rest
upon their arms In idleness. The battle
against civic evils will continue as long
as men love their family, their home and
their country. This is what civic revival
means-love OF country.
This civic awakening to the necessity
of stamping out the things of dishonor
in public life and the things that Cypress
fIa f,f IA
corruption and of private wrongdoing do
not indicate a moral degeneration. 1t
does not show that men are becoming
worse, but that men are becoming bet
ter. The hope for the perpetuity of a
government by the people was never
brighter than 1t Is today. There will be
only white lights ahead as long as the
people are awake.
THE accepted idea of morality is very
different now from what It was. Unless
this Idea of civic right now abroad in
the land dies out we will pass from the
age of sordid commereiallsm to- the age
of high ideals. Even now wealth is not
worshipped with the same devotion 1t
used to be. and the idea is to get right
rather than to get rich. A new standard
has been established: new yet old-just
honesty; that is all The remedy for
corruption has been found In the hearts
of the people. There Is nothing a corr
rupt man or those who make a business
of violating laws fear more than public
ity and an aroused public conscience. The
prisons might be filled with grafters. yet
IL the people were Indifferent grating
would go on just the same On the other
hand, very few might get where they be-
long, yet II the people are awake graft
ing can be stopped through the force Of
public sentiment. The grafters who would
make money at the expense Of the COM
mon good do not know good from bad;
all they know is whether II pays or not.
They are being taught that official graft
ing, insurance grating, trust grating
and private grating does not pay, and
when this lesson shall have been thor