The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-06-23
IN STIRRING SPEECH AT SPRING.
FIELD CANDIDATE FOR Gov
ERNoR ANSWERS CRITICS.
EVERY ISSUE MET SQUARELY
II Elected He Pledges Non-interter-
enee With Expressed VIII of
the Voters and to Enforce
Laws as Enacted.
Springfield, Mo, June G. 1916.

In speech uellVereu uerS toli5ht,
Col. Fred B. Gardner of st. Louis,
Democratic candidate for Governor
among other things said:
/ entered upon this campaign deter
mined to predicate my appeal to the
Democrats of Missouri for their suf-
frage upon my own merits and more
particularly upon merits of those con-
structive measures which | advocate,
and with firm resolve not to har-
angue the people of this State upon
the shortcomings of my opponents.
| propose to adhere strictly to this
rule throughout this campaign.
Some of my opponents have adopt
ed different plan and have gone
about the State discussing my per-
sonal and business affairs and other
matters wholly irrevelant to the Is
sues of this campaign. Hitherto l
have ignored these efforts to divert
the attention of the Democrats from
the real issues, but in justice to those
who are supporting me, | feel that
the time has come for me to mention
two or three of these charges.
Some of my eloquent opponents, in
spirit of raillery, have referred to the
company with which am connected as
a trust and to me as head Of trust.
speak of it reluctantly and only by
reason of the peculiar position in
| which am placed, but | am proud OF
my business career, and of every act
of mine which contributed to its sue
cess Beginning with no assets save
the faith of a few of my fellows in my
honesty, integrity and business ability,
have built up a business which gives
employment to goodly number
of people and affords me compe-
tence and enables me to occasionally
give away money where think 1t will
do good. This business was developed
and is now conducted in competition
with two hundred and fifty similar
concerns located in the United States
| and neither nor my company, nor any
one in its behalf have ever created, en-
tered into. become a member of, or
participated in any trust or any
thing resembling a trust. Notwith-
standing all the agitation and liti-
CATION relative to trusts during
the past few years, and the nu-
merous Investigations conducted by
learned Attorney-Generals, our COM
pany was never suspected of being a
trust or party to trust agreement
until had the temerity to offer my
self for office, and then no formal
charge is made in court but vague
| charges are made by insinuation and
innuendo from the stump. l suffer no
uneasiness rs to the weight that will
be given by the Democrats of this
State to charges so made at such
time as this.
Some time ago | was asked by the
State Superintendent Of the Missouri
Anti Saloon League whether or not, in
the event | am elected Governor of
Missouri, would use my influence to
prevent the passage of temperance
legislation, and whether or not l
would sign a Statewide prohibition
bill with the peace. health and safe
ty" clause attached.
| have never felt any hesitancy
about expressing my views on this
/ question, although did not feel under
obligation to express them to Mr.
Shupp for the reason that before he
asked me these questions, he an
nounced his opposition to my candi-
dacy. | am perfectly willing for the
people of Missouri to know my views
on this question. Should | be elected
Governor | would not lay the weight
of feather in the way of any move
ment or any act of the Legislature
providing for the submission of the
question of Statewide prohibition to
the people for a vote in any manner
consistent with the provisions of the
Constitution of the State of Missouri,
nor would | attempt in the slightest
way to influence the people them
selves in voting on this question. And
if the people of the State of Missouri
enact any legislation on this question.
will to the best of my ability enforce
the laws so enacted.
In government such as ours the
law is supposed to be but an express
sion of the robust sentiment of ma
jority of the citizens. The slogan Of
the Democratic party has always been:
tLet The people rule" Some years
ago there was agitation among the
people of the State of Missouri to the
effect that the Legislature was fire.
quently controlled by the politicians
, and influences inimical to the best in
terests of the general welfare, and
that as result thereof, laws were
frequently enacted which were not an
expression of the will of the people.
In order to prevent such an act from
becoming law and remaining in
force, the people Of this State amend
ed the constitution at the general cleo.
ton in 1908 by adopting the constitu-
tional amendment, commonly known
as the initiative and referendum.
II 1t is not for me to discuss the mer'
its or dement's Of the initiative and