The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-06-27
TO SAVE MISSOURI
AND ITS DEMOCRACY

In our last isue we went to some
length in explaining our views on what
is the matter with Missouri" and we
stated that no one need to look to the
Republican party for help. We again
repeat that statement and the reason
we give i&~Shis, and the Republican
party is more under the control of
machine politicians in st. Louis, head
ed by Mayor Kiel, John Schmoll and
Hank Weeke, than the Democratic
party is under the domination of the
peanut politicians of the type of Ex-
Governor Major and the state house
crowd
Political machines are not built up
for the glory of state or the party
it represents but solely for the benefit
of its leaders. Better trust Missouri
to peanut politicians than to a recog-
nizcd machine.
No, we must not look to the Re-
publican party for relief, but rather
to the Democratic party, shorn of it's
peanuts and state house crowd. Their
influence is not great enough to pre-
vent the nomination of real Demo-
crat for Governor and once the right
man is nominated he will be elected
for the people will think twice before
they turn the state of Missouri over
to the crowd that is despoling st.
Louis. The right man, big, brainy
man, not a professional politician, but
man who will allow the office to
seek him and not he the office can
bring Missouri out of the rut, because
his influence will insure a new and
workable constitution. We have had
sufficient Of peanut administrations
such as Elliott w. Majors and bust
ness administrations, such as we are
getting at present.
What we want is clean, sagacious
administration, one absolutely free
from the faint or influence of poll.
ticians and one whose head has nc
thought of using his power to build
up political machine. We can get
such a man, but he must be drafted
In the present condition of Missouri.
politics, it is not likely that men who
are not professional politicians, OIL
who are willing to spend mint oil
money to crafty a personal ambi
ton will seek the office. Such mer
are drafted and in time of need they
win. Fifteen or sixteen years age
Rolla Wells was drafted to make the
race for Mayor of st. Louis on the
Democratic ticket and he won and wa.
reelected. Citizens of st. Louis hac
Worlds Fair on hand and they knew
that in decency they had to clean W
before the visitors came. They gave
the job to Rolla Wells and he mad,
good.
Rolla Wells would likewise max,
good as Governor of Missouri. He ha.
no personal ambition to crafty, h,
would not use the gubernatorial chail
as a stepping-stone to something else
he is not a professional politician ant
has never held office, except when i
was forced upon him. In addition h,
is big, brainy man, one as well known
nationally as he is in Missouri and h,
is the ideal type of man to redeem
Missouri from peanut politics and ma
chine politics. Not so much Roll,
Wells as the man, but the type O.
man who will make a good Governo
and save Missouri and Democracy
There are other men in Missouri jus
as good, but they are not as wei
known and would have more Difficult
ty in getting acquainted. We believ,
that Rolla Wells can have the Demo
cratic nomination for Governor O
Missouri for the asking and ono,
nominated his election is assured
Rolla Times.