The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-08
EX-GOVERNOR FOLK
At THE CHAUTAUQUA
United States Successfully
Passing Crisis, He Says
HAS MESSAGE OF HOPE
Says There Is No More Corruption
Now Than Formerly, But That
More of 1t Is Coming to Light.
introduced by Harding
HAS MESSAGE OF HOPE

Indorsing woman's suffrage. prophecy
| ing that the white slave traffic would
| cease to exist within the next decade,
claiming that graft and corruption were
stubbornly but surely dying and that the
great American public was emerging from
what since history began had proven
the death struggles of every republic,
former Governor Joseph Folk of Missouri
delivered his lecture on 1.-The Fight For
State" last night at the Chautauqua
tent in East End park
The crowd was good sized considering
the fact that 1t poured rain from an
hour or two before the lecture began un-
til 1t was almost over. Governor Folk
declared that he was Baptist and when
Baptist and Chautauqua were placed
together there was always a deuge.
Governor Folk is an engaging earnest
and magnetic speaker. He told in a sort
of heart to heart way of the fight he
made as governor of Missouri against the
graft, vice and corruption that had taken
hold of that state, and how he won. His
oratory was not of the vigorous, explosive
kind, but was calm, dispassionate and
on a high plane. He was introduced by
w. P G. Harding, president of the Cham
ber of Commerce.
Is an Optimist
Il come to you with a message of hope
and not of despair" said the speaker
1.-The world is growing better instead of
worse. Who IL years ago would have be-
lieved the United States Senate would
ever investigate the private interests and
Obligations of its own members.
1--WE hear more of graft and vice and
political corruption now than we did
then, not because there is more of it,
but because it is being exposed and driven
out The corruption that has been the
beginning Of the end OF all the republics
of history was beginning to get a strong
grip on this republic. But unlike the
others, we have fought a winning fight
against it and for that reason unlike
other republics this one will continue to
live"
The speaker described the terrible con-
ditions he found in the great city of st.
Louis when he was elected governor, how
the rece trs ok gamblers, the saloon dives,
the white slavers and other forms Of vice
and immortality fought every move that
was made against them, how the local Of
ficials had been corrupted and were allied
with the bad interests. Governor Folk
closed up the gambling race tracks, the
dens of vice and crime and he says they
| still are closed.
Touches on Woman Suffrage
He said he believed that the franchise
| should be a matter of intellect instead Of
a matter of sex and that there was no
need of being afraid of the ballot of a
| woman. The influence of women is the
greatest influence for good in the world,
he said, and it should be given additional
power by the use of the ballot If it is
| wanted.
The Birmingham Chautauqua has been
unfortunate in the weather it has experl-
enced, Last night was the third this week
that downpour of rain has occurred
Just as the performance was to begin and
| the first two days it rained almost stead
| lily. In spite of this fact, the Chautauqua
has been a success There has always
been good crowds and when the weather
| was good there have been enormous audi
enceS.
| Yesterday afternoon was the children's
matinee, with Eugene Laurant, the mag
ician the attraction. Laurant de-
| lighted the big crowd of children ant
grown folks that witnessed his extraordi
| nary performances. He is magician O
the better class, performing feats ap
| parenty impossible and afforded one u
| The best entertainments of the week.
There will be no lecture this morning
| This afternoon Opis Read the well KNOW
| author, gives one OF his famous lecture
and there will be a concert by the Barnar,
| orchestra. Tonight ihe Chautauqua will
close with sacred concert by the Barnart
orchestra and sermon by the Rev. Il
| 3. Thompson, d. n. The Mozart trit
furnished the music yesterday.