Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-23
FOLK PRAISES
ANGFLENOS FOR
USEOF RECALL
SAYS EXPOSURE OF GRAFT
HON0RS CITY
URGES VIGILANCE TO KEEP OUT
CORRUPTION
Former Governor of Missouri Declares
Nation Needs Men to Live
Instead of Die for
Country

TORMER Governor Joseph w. Folk
II of Missouri vigorously defended
A the principle of the recall In
his address at the Simpson auditorium
last night.
Los Angeles has demonstrated to
the entire nation that the recall sys-
tenn is desirable" he said. ''You are
all acquainted with the result, and
satisfied too, and the country's ad-
miration has been challenged. The
people are now coming into their own
1t is the principle of the initiative and
referendum which best controls
Mr.. Folks lecture, Soldiers of
Peace was pronounced by many to
be equal to William Jennings BryanS
famous lecture, THE Prince Of Peace"
During the course of the lecture ne
held Los Angeles up as an example Of
what an aroused conscience" can do
when the proper methods are placed
in the hands of the people whose
rights have been trampled and abused
and whose sense of jutsice, honesty
and decency has been outraged" His
reference to the Los Angeles recall
system and his later reference to He
ney brought forth the greatest APP
plause of the evening.
The distinguished lecturer was in
troduced by Judge McNutt.
Battle Just Begun
He said the battle for industrial free
dom, political independence and repre-
sentative government had just begun.
The vampires of graft had been driven
away for a season by public indigna-
tion but unless watched they would
return. He was frequently asked il
the present reform would be lasting.
and always answered in the aff1rma-
tive. This was more than reform,
he said.
Reforms sometimes die he de-
cared, "but revolutions never go back
ward. Out of the darkness of night
the world is rolling into light. 1t is
now daybreak everywhere"
Patriotism had become a meaningless
word, synonym for war, said the
speaker In eight years this had been
changed.
"We have learned that there is a
patriotism of peace as well as a patri-
otism of war, and that IL is just as es-
sential to the welfare of the country
he added. patriotism was counted as
service to ones country in time of war
1t Is more 1t is service to ones coun-
try and to ones fellowman True
greatness is in service. and it Is just as
important for the private citizen to
give this service as it is to the man in
power and authority. Some OF the
greatest men of the nation have never
held public office, and some of the
smallest have. Corruption is que 10 lllS
pernicious activity of the vicious mi
nority. A majority of the people are
good and mean well.
Men More important Than Horses
DO not fear to light he advised.
ut is better to go down with right
than go up with wrong. There are bat
ties to be fought as important as those
that have gone before. Our forefatners
fought as soldiers of war; we must
GerI, coi6ferg n ManV men
thrill with the thought of going on the
battle field and dying for their country,
as bravo men will; but when II comes
to the battles of peace they are cow
ards There is more danger from with
in than from without. What we need
is men who will live for their country
instead of men to die for it.
He asserted the exposure and COR
rection of evils in government gave
honor instead of disgrace to COM
munity. He related many incidents OF
the exposure and prosecution of the
ST. Louis grafters. He declared every
Missourian was now holding his mead
higher by reason of the publication
process, except those who were wear
SIt is to the credit of a state to
remedy these evils, not to its discredit,
he said.
He declared graft would never be
entirely eXterminated as long as there
is SelnShn6SS IN nuIildH 6tdAe
means, he said, a privilege exercised
contrary to law. He traced the awak-
ening of public conscience and the his
tory of graft and corruption in all OF
its forms; likewise all forms or vice.
When he was prosecuting attorney ne
saw a stream of young men going
through the courts on their way to the
nenitentiary on account of race track
gambling. When he became governor
he recommended the passage OF a law
suppressing it. He was told that SUCH
a law would stop the breeding of fine
race horses and would ruin this In
dustry.
Need Men to Live, Not Die
"Nv answer to this argument was
that it was far more important to any
state to raise good men than to raise
good horses.
more respect for law was the de-
mand of this era of aroused puphc
conscience The trust builder, the
magnate, the burglar must take their
place in the line of lawbreakers.
prosecuting officers sometimes ease
their consciences by sitting back and
saving they would have prosecuted
this or that person had the evidence
been brought before them.
"The public conscience says that
there is an embezzlement of power as
well as an embezzlement Of money, ana
the officer who does not live up TO MS
duty and fulfill his obligations is as
much an embezzler as the man who
misappropriates the funds entrusted to
: him. Sometimes the prosecutor finds
the burden great and the way hard to
travel. The people do not care, It
seems, and business men come and say;
You are injuring the city's reputation,
. and therefore damaging 1t CONNER
= cially.'
"There is Mr.. Heney, In your own
: state, who is now severely criticised
. by we'll meaning men" 1t was at this
: iuncture the demonstration of the even
ing came. He went on to say that
Heney was striking at graft and vice
in high as well as low places. and strik-
. ing hard. 'It is not fair to question
!. his sincerity. 1t is not just to sneer at
v him. He is discharging his duty and
o obeying an awakened conscience. He
CONTINUED on Page Tenl