The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-04-14
REPUBLICAN ASSURANCE


forth by the State Republican Con-
vention at Excelsior Springs last
Thursday would be a curiosity in its
way but for the effulgence of its stere-
otyped phrases and revamped accu-
sations of delinquencies, which have
done service so long and so often that
they are as threadbare as they are
unconvincing. 1t is as plethoric of
intangible changes as it is lean Of
facts and reckless of truth. Its uni
versal condemnation of the Democrat
ic State Administration is Invested
of all force by bald failure to focus
specific instances of dereliction, inef-
ficiency or faithlessness.
There may be some things in the
present State administration that
merit criticism, there may have been
some things done that could have been
done better, but of what administra-
ton of public affairs might not this
be said? There is nothing human
that is infalible. Yet this in all JUS
tice may be said, that every depart
ment of the State has been efficient
ly, honestly and faithfully admins
tered-the State Secretary's, the Au-
ditor's, the Treasurer's-not one of
which but makes a more favorable
showing than the same departments
in any past administration, which no
doubt is partly due to enlarged bus
mess conditions and opportunities.
But this fact stands out clear and
strong, they bear the stamp of hon
esty, efficiency and faithfulness.
The resolutions try to be blistering-
ly severe on Governor Major, but spe-
cific and convincing evidence of his
SHINING against the people and their
interests is wofully lacking. Govern
or Major may have made mistakes.
We concede the fact, for he is very
human man. But he certainly guard
ed the State, in the only way that the
Constitution gives him authority,
against bankruptcy by cutting down
injudicious overappropriations of the
public revenue, and fosteFed the
States credit He may have made
some injudicious appointments, but
in attempting to criticise his appoint
ments of Election Commissioners in
the larger cities, the convention hurl-
ed boomerang that, true to its char
acteristic in ignorant, unskillful hands,
hurtled about and struck the propell-
ers square in the face. They essayed
to compare the supervision of the
election of the st. Louis Board of
Election Commissioners under Gov
ernor Major with that of Governor
Hadley's appointees.
The very next day after the promul-
cation of that remarkable string of
resolutions, the st. Louis Board of
Election Commissioners came, out
with singing reply, signed and APP
proved by its Republican and Pro-
gressive members as well as by the
Democratic members of the Board,
showing by specific facts and evidence
produced in contested election cases
in Congress, that the elections super
vised by the Hadley commissioners
were the most VIGOROUSLY corrupt and
fraudulent ever held in that city;
while under the Major commissioners
in no contested election case was fraud
or irregularity shown. And Henry
Kortjohn, Chairman of the Hadley
Board of Election Commissioners, was
a member of the committee that |
spawned the Excelsior Springs Con-
vention resolutions.
Like this, every other indictment |
made against the Democracy in these
resolutions is as fiimsy and little
worthy of common credence. The
Hadley administration is held up as
the perfection of Republican endeavor
in this State, which is certainly poor
to the people to turn the
State government over to Republican
again.
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