Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-04-30


I assert thai this promise, as well as
paign has been faithfully kept After tho
election. in my inaugural address, i lTssc
some measure 10 give the people OF the
cities local selection q police commits,
sioners with proper safeguards A Dill
was passed, which In no way answered
my Recommendations. which proposed TO
turn over the police department OF St
Louis through the house OF delegates into
keepers Of that city, with no power over
them whatever hy state authority
Because a governor recommends a meas
ure on a certain subject that recomnannd-
alton does not oblieate him TO sign any
Kind Of a bin the legislature enacts on that
subject, This measure not being IN ac-
cord with my views. l vetoed II, Just as
! would have vetoed an excise Bill al
h last session OF the general assembly
IL enc had been enacted making things
nesuy urged the enactment OF a proper
excise measure to control lawlesS sa-
looms all over the state. At the second
general assembly during my admiiistra-
ton | again recommended the kin OF
a police measure ! wanted and pointed out
that II control should be given locally 10
select police commissioners. the power
should also be reserved for some state
authority 10 remove the commissioner for
failure In their duty in enforcing laws.
This measure was not enacted. Again at
the special session of 1907 l urged the
Measure n again 1t was not passed Ex-
eept IN one speech made seven months
before the nomination and before the IA
nous St Louis primary. all Of my ut
eranees on his subject can be found in
my messages after election. l believe in
local self-government. that is, the right
OF the people Of each locality 20 select
the officials whose jurisdiction is limited
to that locality. but / do not think the
state should strip itself o. power TO en-
force its own laws where the local off,
cials fail TO do so. The right Of local
self-government is the right Of each To-
cality to enforce the state laws through
its local officials, but when its officials
can not or viii not enforce these laws.
there Is no longer local self-gofernment.
Local lawlessness Is quite a different thing
from local government. II Is one thing
to give to each locality power TO enforce
the laws OF the state In that locality. and
II is another thing to delegate TO each
locality the right to say whether the laws
Of the state shall be enforced there or
not.
Missouri Prospers Under Reign Of Law.
In the campaign of 1904 we were told
that it would injure the state to make
the cure Of corruption an issue; that the
people outside Of the state would think we
were all grafters- I believed then as l
do now. II corruption exists II should be
dragged into the light. Il can not be
cured by hiding 1t. II Is more honorable
- 80 W. - ~ III GAAAAI ~ tAbA 80
Has the reign Of law hurt Missouri? Ev-
cry part Of the state is increasing In pop
ulation and In wealth. immigration has
Increased rs per cent more in the past
three years h In the three years be-
fore that. M lands all over the state
have increased more in value during the
last three years nan in any ten years
before. We were told that il the sa-
looms In the cities were closed on Sunday,
that II race-track gambling were stopped.
and wine-rooms shut UP. grass would
grow In the streets OF these cities, What
has been the result7 st. Louis has grown
more during the past three years than In
any like period in her history. There
have been more new buildings put up
there during that period than In any half
dozen years prior. Real estate In Kansas
City has advanced IN value more during
that time than IN any ten years before,
81 Joseph is rapidly forging to the fore
front Of American municipalities. While
the Missouri idea OF law enforcement may
not have caused all his prosperity. Il
certainly has not been az injury. The
material affairs of the state have not
been neglected during tbs administration.
Industry has been encouraged and manu-
featuring enterprises fostered throughout
The commonwealth. Public Institutions
u no state In the Union with charitabie
institutions OF a higher order and better
management than in Missouri IN the
public business Of the state ! have. as
your governor, 10 the best Of my ability.
applied the principles | advocated before
you In 1908. Whether you like what has
been done or not. you alone can say.
VIII Not Embezzle Power.
When one Is elected &c. public office, he
has vested In him certain powers and
these powers he takes a solemn oath TO
use for the public good. When ! was the
prosecuting attorney of ST. Louis IL be-
came my unpleasant duty TO prosecute
some Of those who had voted for me.
HhAW nFfflPfHad 80 - NAN fH-ea It, L.nF
my friends. My view Of the matter was
and il that political support OF a pros
ecutor vas not and should never be an
atonement for crime. That has been one
~ me great roabies In our system Of
goyernment-gamblers, grafters, saloon
keepers would support a man for office
and expect in return not to be INTERRUPTED
IN their lawiessness. This embezzlement
Of power was denounced by me. yet some
Of those who supported me in that posi-
ton. after failing TO secure some ap-
pointment, have one back to the old
theory that has caused so much CONVEX
sion OF the peoples power in giving spe-
cial privileges In return for political sun
port ] believe In helping ones friends.
but when ii Is a question of being false
to an official oath. as the cost OF stand
ing by a friend. / prefer to be true to
my conception OF public duty. In the long
and bitter struggle for the nomination for
governor in 1904. an unusually large num-
Der OF men did an unusually large amount
Of work. While a great majority Of these
were actuated only by patriotic motives
and have asked for no office. a large num-
Der have asked for recognition and the
work they did entifle them TO II. Unfor-
tunately the governor only has enough
patronage TO cause trouble n not
enough TO satisfy any great number. All
the positions he has are few indeed COM
pared with those who want them, and are
justly entitled to them. The result Is
many have to be disappointed where a
few are appointed. II Is to be regretted
that disappointment In securing a public
position should cause any one 10 desert a
principle that he has fought for. While
! do not claim not to have made mistakes.
/ have tried in every appointment to make
the public welfare the first consideration
II ! a not stood by my friends, my real
friends who fought for the principles ]
opposition ] have But l had rather be
true to the faith and the friends who
| stood by me for what / and they believed
to be right. than to have the praise OF
those who would profit by my being false
AS 70 Sincerity.
Ny enemies say / am not sincere. II
there were a question as to my sincerity
the bitterness OF the opposition and the
intense enmity OF faw-breakers would re-
point to the enemies ! ! have made. II
they did not believe me sincere they
would not fight me as they do. II I had
served the lawless elements with half the
fidelity | have tried to serve the people
those elements would now be my sunport-
ers instead OF denounclng me on everv
hand. do not van their friendship. I
prefer their enmity 10 their good will IL
! have succeeded in pleasing the law-abfd-
Ing and displeasing the lawlesa ! am en-
tlrely satisfied Their ill-will IS al least
an evidence Of sincerity, | nave been
fighting the battles Of the people for seven