The Butler weekly times., 1908-10-10

a.
vestigations. the records Of the Doodle
trials for Legislative and municipal corrup-
tion, and the records of the grand jury
and police Investigations at Kansas CITY
ard st, Louis,
PRESENT DEMOCRATIC REsPoN.
sl6tLiTY FOR THIS RECORD.
Now. in this contest. say again that
do not want to be partisan, and also
want to be entirely fair. | want to do no
man, and no party. an injustice. do not
mean to charge upon the rank and file OF
the Democratic party the responsibility
for this disgraceful condition of police,
legislative and executive corruption which
existed prior to 1904. A political party Is
to he charged with responsibility for such
a condition of affairs in its past record
only as II endorses that record or seeks
to place again in power the men under
whose management and control such con-
ditons We're allowed to arise and continue.
Now, upon that point what are the factsy
The last Democratic Convention. OF which
the present State candidates We're men,
berS. gave To the administrations of Stone,
Stephens aad Dockery the very same en-
dorsement that II gave TO the administfa-
tion of Joseph w. Folk Name me
member OF the "Old Guard who was
active In the affairs of the Democratic
party for the twelve or fourteen years
prior 10 1904 who was not active in this
campaign for the nomination of William
s. Cowherd, Go to st. Louis and see
there in tho primary election returns as
expression of "Old Guard methods, evil
denSes that the "Old Guard has lost
neither its cunning nor its power. Let me
read to you the testimony of Ed Butler
convicted by Governor Folk Of boodling
and sentenced TO five years In the State
penitentarv but saved by technical de-
cSnp Of tho Suprpmp Court,
The only man ! come out for before the
election" said Butler. was Cowherd for
Governor. | wouldn't he surprised II my
support made Cowherd ten thousand votes
in st Louis and five thousand outside the
city"
Then You came pretty near nominating
Cowherd," the interviewer suggested,
Il am not saying that" was the eau
tous reply.
"My friends won. but that don't prove
that am back in politics; | don't have to
he, | have friends all over town and they
know me We'll enough to know what
want. Ii | had to tell them every time,
wouldn't consider them worth much as
friends.
"Whom will your friends support for
SENATOR" the reporter asked
stone will win" was the answer, "even
the preachers are getting on to Folk. His
| lid has made more drunkenness in st
LOUIS Oh n SlHutN lilH wis ever Stfl bt-
fore Folk won't come within thirty thou
sand votes of Stone, Fer myself" con-
tinued Rutler 81 gave the most attention
To the candidates for Circuit Judge |
voted for Bass. Barrett and Werner. |
didn't care to vote for Dillon, he goes to
church too much'
| Do you want that kind of a man to nom
mate your cardidate for Governor DO
YOU want your Governor under obligations
| to that kind of a man for his nomination?
| Now let me read to you the testimony
| of Lawlcr p DAILY, the Chairman of the
Democratic City Central Committee in st.
! Louis, as to the part that money played in
securing for Mr.. Cowherd his nomination:
Each ward committeeman who favored
| Gowherd. said DAILY, was given one
thousand dollars for ward expenses. y
| CFhcre ar, twenty eight wards in st.
LOUISE In addition to that sum. said
! DAILY "the committeeman We're Sugartd
with Individual contributions. For exam
i pie in one ward the committeeman. Whose
name | will not mention. was allowed on"
! thousand dollars for campaign cNpendi-
lures. and also an equal amount for his
own personal use. At least $50 600 was
| employed by the Cuwherd managers q
carry st. Louis. These are facts. II is
true that | was for Dave Ball for Cover
nor, and induced my friends in the Tw"n
tv-second Ward to vote for him. Now
money or VINO collected it, because the
fight is over and am not yelling"
How much were you and your asso-
ciates on the Democratic City Committee
offered to support Mr. Cowherd?" DAILY
was asked.
"Oh. I don't know" he replied, ''the
amount was Sc much that perhaps the
public would not believe it. Things didn't
go Just right to suit me. but that is nc
reason why | should have a grievance. II
| was Colonel Ball. I would go home and
take rest 1t might be all right to con
test the primary, but il | were Colone
Ball | wouldn't do it. The cards have
been played and there Is nothing for him
= to do but take his medicine. But they tel
me that in Kansas City ono ward which
had registered $50 gave Cowherd ma
jority of 1900. If that Is true. it beats
our Indian methods all hollow. | am moi
suuealng; In fact. I am perfectly salts
fed with things as they have happened
But what could any leader do when ht
run up against that $4,000 slush fund
The ward committeeman won't deny tina
they got theirs In one ward the commit
teeman was paid 81 200 for campaign ex
penses besides that sum. he was allowed
$500 for individual expenses. l refused t
take a cent. Ball was a poor man ant
there was nobody back Of him who gave
; dollar, so far as / know. There. was NJ
deal on the State ticket; 1t was a straigh
out fight and the cash won."
Now let me read you some Of these elec
ton returns themselves in Kansas Cit!
and st. Louis. in order that you may SCI
, what wonderful system 1t Is that ha
, been invented in Kansas City and st
Louis for the purpose Of nominating an,
electing for the people their public Of
ficials:
In the Third Ward Of st. Louis. Mr.
Cowherd was credited with 1-542 votes AM
Mr.. Ball with 81. In 1906. upon the sam
registration at the general election, Judg
9 Woodson. who polled the highest vote upol
. the Democratic State ticket, received onl
l1,179 votes. A canvass Of this ward b.
the police department. under the direction
I of Governor Folk showed that not NOR
than Is per cent of those who were re
corded as having voted for Mr.. Cowher
0 really voted for him. Practically the sam
e vote was returned for the other candidate
r upon the machine ticket as was returne
t for Mr.. Cowherd. The st. Louis "Repuo
g | lic." the State Democratic organ, on Fri
s day. August T. 1908, says. in speaking Q
o this vote:
r 1.-THE vote Of 1,542 for Cowherd and 3
Y for Ball In and of itself Is not incredible
: But when we pass to the Office Of Lieuten
:; ant Governor, we find the same disparit,
$ Here were 1852 votes for Mr.. Painter Q
e Carroll County, and Is for Kelley. tn
s blind lawyer Of st. Louis. Then we hav
s 1.547 for Roach of Jasper County and 4
e FOR McGrath of st. Louis for the office Q
k for the Kellys and the McGraths in a war
n dominated by a Miles. And so. goin
: through the list. we have 1.540 for Gordo
: as Auditor. 1.544 for Winters as Railroa
d Commissioner 1859 for Graves as Su
: preme Judge. 1881 for Bryan as Judge c