The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-07-16

in and have an equal voice In choosing
their standard bearers; but I submit that
gross exhibition Of bossism and machine
rule as the Republicans of this State have
furnished us in this halcyon year OF the
primary. Their first step was to have
constitutional That was the first move
they made on the primary chess-board.
Failing in that the Statehouse crowd
and few outlying lords assembled In
caucus. agreed upon ticket, and handed
1t out to subservient following with
orders to take the dose without grimace.
In consequence. for all the important
didate for each. Il is absolutely a boss
made ticket. covered with machine labels
from head to foot This is worse than
Il was ever possible for the old conven-
ton plan to have been. for by that plan
there were at least numerous delegates
assembled from every county to express
the choice of their constituencies But
here under the primary system. which
was established to give every man an
opportunity to express his Individual
choice. dozen Republican bosses plotted
together and arranged the party program.
IN Inc people were not even permitted to
less to have voice In the proceedings.
Their part was simply to gulp down what
was handed them. So arrogant and om-
nipotent were these bosses that any man
ltical, and sometimes his official. life
In his hand. as poor Gentry can testify.
with Democrats II has been different
in spirit as well as letter. The field was
left open. and every man desiring to run
has had an equal chance to enter do not
know who VIII be nominated on the Demo-
excellent names before the people a ticket
Is certain to be selected which will COM
mand the public confidence. With ali the
candidates for Governor my relations are
1 49,
them have long sustained relations OF
personal friendship. Some over-busy mis-
chief-makers here and there have endeay-
0 0geS to TO- Identity me In particular way
have a very high regard for Mr.. Cow
character. but so have I also for the
o orner ,o San a1 ties wish to say now.
sought to promote or to retard the can
didacy Of any man for the Governorship.
have had no candidate for Governor;
u, nave not sought to get any man into
tempted to interfere for or against any
candidate. Whether others have done 90
Is not my province to say, but that
have studiously kept aloof from these pri-
mary. contests assert with the greatest
confidence, and challenge any man to
point to a. single concrete fact to the
contrary: l have many warm. personal
dates for Governor. and for that reason,
as well as because Of my relation to the
oSt Of 5fne ahs sen;s. have kept hand:
every voter WoTlS we1ah wish Is that
every candidate for every office and in
the exercise or his own good Judgment
vote for the nomination Of the man he
6 believes viii discharge the duties Of the
} and efficiency. When the ticket is nomi-
mated l need not say that I will do my
utmost to aid In carrying the party flag
to victory.
A word now as to the senatorial prf-
mary ana ! am done. Judging by Gov
, are agreed upon certain things relat-
ing to that primary. First. we are
agreed that the candidate receiving the
larger number OF DemoSrotto votes-that
, In the whole State at the november cleo
ton, Will be the nominee Of the party:
secondly. we are agreed that II any
Democratic candidate, whose name il
. printed on the Democratic ticket, those
a Republican votes must be separately re-
) turned by the election officers, and cam
. votes received by the candidate on the
: Democratic ticket, for that would be to
allow Republicans to take part in deter
4 mining the issue between Democratic
4 every Democratic member of the Gem
4 eral Assembly will be morally bound to
= use all honorable means to secure the
6 election Of the nominee; and, fourthly.
candidate at the August primary for
4 either house Of the legislature should
= be required before the day of the -pri-
nls5ye t. publicly and
@ not pH e ss sns kMsn asoS
s. rne Republican organization OF the
j. test the validity of this senatorial rri-
1. mary law. ! regret that this is so. Why
IF 40 they wish to contest 1t? What harm
n can tne law do, since it only gives the
! electors OF each party an opportunity to
!, express individual preferences for Sem
6 ator! II cannot very greatly concern the
n hepupncan party In any event, for l pre- :.
, sumo the machine will select its candi-
II GATE for senator, as it has for Governor
4 and other State offices. and then, how
e ever selected, there Is fortunately no
, danger OF a Republican Senator this
o formulated with the precision and care
! It ought to have been. but If the Of
r ncers or election and all candidates shall
/; seek In good faith to enforce its pro-
n VISIONS, 1t Is ample to serve the purposes
e intended. At most, the objections to Il
8 are technical l believe the law to he
e constitutional, and In that opinion | have
been confirmed co h,ns by the Judgment Of law
D opinion months ago in two public inter-
Z views, one published in st. Louis and the
e other In Kansas City. l declared my ad-
e nerence TO the law and my belief In its
validity when the question of its VALID
E ity was first suggested. Still. strange
r ", at a later period, although l was
e the hrst to speak on the subject, some
marplots sought to raise a doubt as to
( my position. or all things the peanut
pontician, who Is sort of human mos
} quito, Is the most contemplate. I am
} not only for the law. but shall certain
! y do all In my power to uphold II. II
Republicans persist in an effort to set
J It aside on narrow technical grounds,
they must take the consequences before
the people for that unworthy act. For
the Democrats of Missouri say at the
: polls whether they desire to continue me
In the public service.
In this connection let me add. that /
, hope this campaign for nominations win
be conducted by all candidates with
courtesy. So far. fortunately, but little
acrimony has been injected into the cam
, paign Republicans, of course, would BE-
delighted to see bitter. disorganixing
personal strife between rival Democratic
Kentucky and more recently in Tennee-
see, and l regret to see that some In
discreet Democrats here and there are
, apparently disposed to do and to advise
things calculated to bring about q repe-
tition Of the Kentucky and Tennessee
experience In Missouri. For myself, I
shall avoid az far az possible becoming
q party to strife Of that kind, and !
now again urge, what I have urged b.
fore, that my friends viii follow my
. example and speak, as far az possible.
without offense to other candidates q
their friends It IL all right to support
, ones own friend with vigor. but there =
little need Of saying exasperating thinGn
OF other Democrats. We must not only
nominate but elect our candidates. Let
u night Republicans. not each other.
A word more and am done. It does
me no special credit to say that in pub
lie office have sought to do my duty
to my State and country, but whatever
the measure of my success, II gives me
no claim to the suffrages Of the people
1t IL their business and duty to measure