Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1908-04-30
Opens Campaign at St. Joseph---Ren-
ders Account of Stewardship
Laws Passed and Work
Accomplished.
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES ADVOCATED
At the TootIe Opera House I'm St. Joseph,
Where tie Opened the Gubernatorial
Campaign, Governor Folk Makes
Notable Speech Reviewing
Administration.

oiabit NAtNolg WIN NHe NIuuks hih
proud OF the democratic party because
IL dared In 1904 to denounce corrup,
tion, even In its own ranks and TO de-
clare that there is no room in the dem.
ocratic party OF this state for corrup-
tiOnists and law-breakers; l am proud
of the democratic party OF Missouri
because II consists Of more than three
hundred thousand voters who think for
themselves and act for themselves,
and who will not bend the knee to a
few self.appointed Tingmasters who
sometimes imagine that they consti.
tute the party.
Democratic Party Given Credit
Democrats Justly take pride in the
management of the states AFFAIRS by
the democratic party during the past
thirty years. In that time the bonded
Indebtedness of the state has been re.
duced from s21 .76S.0O0 to S4.39S 1888.
represented by the school certificates.
These certificates constitute the only
indebtedness of the state and these are
In the nature of an endowment for ed.
ucational purposes. as the interest paid
by the state goes to the public schools
and the State University. When the
democratic party came into power in
Missouri the tax rate was fifty cents
on the 800. while under Democratic
management this has been reduced 10
seventeen cents, seven cents OF which
goes to the school fund. This is the
lowest tax rate OF any Western state.
Today Missouri is the fifth state in
the Union. For all this marvellous de.
velopment the Democratic party Is on.
titled to credit.
Now come to the conditions out Of
which arose the main issues OF the
compaign of 1904. AS Is well known.
at that time bribery had been the COM
mon and accepted thing all over the
land. Not that all men gave brides OF
that majority OF officials took brides,
but the offense was generally regarded
either with Indifference or despair.
The conditions In Missouri were not
different from some other states; laws
were bought and sold like merchan-
disc; senators chasing thousand dol.
lar bills were not uncommon; the lieu.
tenantgovernor confessed to taking
brides, TO distributing bride money.
and resigned: the trail OF the unclean
dollar was everywhere apparent: gam.
bling houses ran wide open in the
cities; saloons made no pretense OF
obeying the law, and dehed the author.
tiles of city and state; wine-rooms op.
Grated with wanton boldness; the state
was In partnership with race-track
gambling; a powerful lobby prevented
the passage OF laws in the interest of
the people; elections in the cities were
often the scenes of thuggery and ruff
fianism; the police departments OF the
cities were political machines. The
democratic party was not responsible
for these conditions. for no party is re-
sponsible for evil unless II does some
thing to condone that evil. The up.
palling conditions have described
were not peculiar TO Missouri: other
states were similarly afflicted. while
the public conscience was asleep.
Finally the people were aroused by the
light OF the revelations to the fact that
bribery is treason; they came to see
that laws are made 10 be enforced, not
TO be ignored: that an official has no
more right to embezZle the peoples
power than TO embezzle the peoples
money; that the people must either
control special interests or be gov.
49,, "A a., .un.tos lntaraofa Than ~ mo
a stern demand 10 stamp out the Of.
Tense that strikes at the heart Of free
government and TO make the govern.
ment government OF the people. for
the people and by the people. In fact
as well as IN name. Il was Missouri,
through the democratic party, that
took the lead in the battle for civic
betterment that has since been waged
from one end of the country to the
other. While the democratic party
was not responsible for the existence
OF these evils II courageously assumed
the responsibility for stamping them
out, and to the democratic party be
longs the credit Of correcting these
conditions. In the campaign OF 1901
the democratic party was appealed d
to take up the tight against the enc
niles Of the people and large major
Iity OF the party responded. The re
suits are before you. There have been
three sessions OF the general assem-
bly, during this administration without
scandal or the slightest evidence OF
corruption. Corruption has been
eliminated from legislative AFFAIRS
No bill was passed or defeated by the
use OF money. II there had been ever
a rumor OF corrupt influences assure
you you would have heard Of II, for I
would have been investigated, no mat
ter whom Il hurt Il not this reform
worth whiIe9
i Reform Record Democratic.
The reform laws that | shall speal
of were practically all urged by me Ii
lthA aaVus..fora frn tha r.,un..r,.,Fehfra NJ