Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-04-30

,bsn 7 have no nl-wlI Ny nght Is with
the lawless elements n against Ihese 4
shall continue TO wage unrelentns Wat-
fare as long as l have ne ana sV,rns ~
! top Of society or the bottom Of society,"
and contempt fer law n no less reprthen-
sible when Haunted by saloon-keeperA ~
gamblers than when plotted over 4 81
rectors' table or shouted under a req mas
at an anarchists meeting.
In my official course i have onended
g~rafters and gamblers by enforcing tne
law against them; ! have offended power
ful liquor interests because l D have inslsteq
that me laws are just as binding on them
as on the humblcst citizen, l have onenu.
cd great corporate interests because OF
the laws / have advocated now IN we
fessional politicians because ] have looked
to the people not TO them for uppor
From the way these allied interests assali
me one would thlnk l was a public enemy,
Am l a public enemy for enforciag uhe
peoples law against them az l took m
oath to do when 1 became governor OF
this commonwealth, or are they pupie
enemies for defying the mandates OF a
sovereign slater
| care not how powerful the elements
| OF opposition may be, II the hearts and
conscienees OF the people be on our sue,
Il may not be essential that ] win, Y u
is essential that ! be true; 1t may not De
essential that ! succeed put II Is essen-
VIII lIAL 4 AStI I'll a
AT this critical period in the history OF
the party I'm the nation n state. no
mans ambition should be considered Inc
good OF the party and public alone snould
be kent in view. Individuals are OF pass
ing moment; principles are ipimortaL
The senatorship offers tremendous oppof-
tunities for the accomplishment of public
good. yet If a majority OF the party pc
slows that honor upon another shaI nor
complain and will do all ] can to have
the democratic member OF the assembly
honor h will OF the majority of the
voters. Whatever the issue. the demo-
cratic legislative candidates should De
pledged to vote for the candidate Tor sem
ator receiving the highest number OF
votes In the state at the democratic SEN
atorial primary.
Opposition Of Bosses.
There are some men in Missouri who
have never forgiven me for The crime Of
being elected governor. These rev polti-
clans shout party loyalty TO the multitude.
but they are democrats only TO the ex-
tent they can make use OF the democratic
party for their selfish ends. After the
nomination for governor, though the title
was u~ndisputed. the party allegiance OF
these men was so weak, so lar az tne
head of the ticket was concerned, That
they either bolted the nomination out
right or gave only negative support, or
secretly CAV aid to the republicans IN
order to bring about party defeat. Fall
ing In this these men now arrogate 70
themselves all there is of democracy ana
nave the effrontery to even question the
democracy OF others. Elected governor in
spite OF them. the administration has
been assailed from that day TO this ny
them and their coterie Of newspaper or
gans. They have ever been ready with
criticism for every official act. They
could not forgive me for obtaining the
democratic nomination for governor with
out their consent. They had come TO re-
gard the democratic party as their pfi-
4-c fe rYava-fx-f and tho 1a0aaprat tr yOfprp
as mere puppets. subject to their manip-
ulations. Angered at my trespassing. as
they considered IL, on their domains and
at my insistence that the democratic par
ty belonged to the people not TO them.
they have shown their resentment and
disregard Of party welfare by sowing the
seeds Of party dissension In vicious at
tacks on those who deny allegiance TO
/ them. They ave constantly sought my
political annihflstion as the only means Of
reeuininx the power q prostitute the
PARTY again. Inscriptions In their meth
ods. they reSort 10 eNaRgeration, cons
temptitle ruuor. and secret ACCUSATIONS
IN order to prejudice The uniformed
These msa nne W true democrats. II
they cauld use the republican party TO
further thei- eadE and could not use the
democratic party. they would he found IN
tha republican party. as they low use
~rvpabhean parsFs in their attacks Dis
credited BY their records. condemned by
an indignant people. they are attempting
to bring back the abuses 81 the old
regime. The people OF Missouri remember
too well to permit them to succeed In
their schemes.
Democratic Prospects Good.
The prospect for the success OF dem
ocratic ideals was never brighter than
now. By democratic Ideals ! mean those
principles embraced IN the expression.
Equal rights TO al. special privileges 70
none" This maxim Of Jefferson ex-
presses every essential element Of real
democracy. With this rule for our guild
ance we can not lose our course. or be
led into the qulcksands Of dishonoF and
despair. With this maxim as our chart.
the infamies Of privilege in every form
can be destroyed and unto all men there
be restored the equal right that belongs
to each. the fair and equal opportunity Of
every man TO live and labor upon the
earth hat belongs 70 all and enjoy un-
trammelled the gains Of honest toll JEFF
ferson's phrase sounds simple but II has
taken generations for men to attain 10 a
practical understanding Of its wisdom and
Justice. 1t applies to the conditions to-
day with even greater force than when Il
was first announced by the father Of
democracy. A political revival Is going
on all over the land to-day on this sub
ject. The people are beginning to awaken
TO a realization OF the fact that the gov
eminent Of city, state Inc nation belongs
to them and that they can take the gov
eminent into their own hands whenever
NANy 10 ia 80 Nt' tANdA NtAt -aAAU
cratic party. stands for. the rule Of the
people for the people as opposed TO gov
/ eminent by a class fer a class.
Democracy Appeals TO Conscience.
II was to the evolution Of conscience
that the principles OF democracy owed
their birth. The democratic party to-day
IL the party of conscience: ii appeals to
conscience instead OF to avarice. what
a wonderful change has come about dur
ing the last few years in the public
mind! Things are not tolerated for a
moment now that a few years ago were
submitted to in silence. Some Of the
officials OF the great insurance companies
were found TO be using trust funds In
their hands for their own gain. They
said they did not know II was wrong;
that II was right according to the lights
they a before them. But those lights
have. as we believe, been forever extin-
Ruished and In their stead blaze the white
| lights OF conscience. Men. high up In the
commercial world a few years ago. were
discovered accepting rebates from rail-
roads contrary to law. They seemed un-
conscious Of the criminal character OF
their conduct Now they. too. have
learned the great lesson. The public con-
science has taught them. So this con-
science which condemns the wrong and
approves the right has assailed one evil
after another and is now attacking the
evil Of privilege out Of which arises the
Inequalities and iniustices Of the distribu-
ton Of wealth. The elimination of spe-
clal privilege IL the great issue before the
people Of this countryside special PRIV
llege OF lawlessness; the special privilege
conferred by law. A few years ago the
privilege Of lawlessness was defended:
but the people IA awakened to the fact
that lawlessness is not liberty and
that lawlessneSs destroys the will of the
people. The peoples conscience now de-
mhnds the enforcement of the peoples