The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-08-01
DEMOCRATIC EFFICIENCY vs..
REPUBLICAN EXTRAyAGANCE
(By A. T. Edmonston.)

Jefferson City, July 28.-Democrar-
ic efficiency versus Republican ex-
travagance and carelessness is fore
IDLY and impressively shown by ex-
cerpts from table giving the cost to
Missouri of criminal cases. State dis
bursements for the apprehension of
criminals and the suppression of out
lawry, and for the execution and en-
forcement of civil laws, covering the
70 years from November 80, 1910, to
Dec. 81, 1918, compilation by the
Republican State Auditor, Geo. B.
Hackmann, given publicity through
the Report of the State Auditor,
1917-1918," volume published bien-
nially for free distribution to tax pay
ers. Write for copy.
During the first half of the term of
the present Democratic Governor,
Frederick D. Gardner, years 1917 and
1918, the State of Missouri, with an
estimated July /, 1918, population Of
3,525,0O0, paid $350,12S as costs in
criminal cases." and $9,4S3 for the
apprehension of criminals and sup
preston of outlawry," total Of
$359,611. In contrast is the first two
years of the administration Of the Re-
publican Governor, Herbert S. Had
ley, 1909 and 1910, Missouri's popula-
ton then being 3,292,335 or little
over IL per cent less than what it is
now, during which the State paid
$434,333 as "costs in criminal cases."
STAB for The apprehension OF Grim
inals and suppression of outlawry,"
and $46,154 for the execution and en-
forcement Of civil law" total of
$48S,106.
The figures just submitted being
compiled by Republican State Au-
ditor and appearing in liable No. 49,,
on page 719 sReport of the State Au-
ditor, 1877 and 1872, are official and
therefore cannot be disputed by any
doubling "gop" 1.-THE psendonym for
member of the German-American-
Africa G. o. P.).
With larger population to hold in
check and the disturbed conditions of
the war to contend with, through gen
eral efficiency and business-like adj
ministration of all problems, criminal
and otherwise, Governor Gardner kept
his total criminal costs for the State,
the two-year period 1917 and 1918,
$128,1S5 lower than was the case dur
ing the two-year period 1909 and 1910,
when Hadley was Governor and times
were less chaotic, a saving to Missou-
ri taxpayers through competent and
efficient democratic rule of over 1857
per cent.
Cost Records Broken Back to
1221.1221
The best part of the record-break-
ing smallness of the cost to the State
for criminal cases of the first two
years of Governor Gardeners term as
executive helmsman is still to be
told. The total disbursements of
Missouri for this purpose during the
two years considered not only out
shines any accomplishment in this
respect by the Hadley regime but al
SO breaks all similar democratic rec
ords for any two years back to the
two-year period, 18S1-1SS2, when the
total States share of criminal costs
only reached $312,783. But Missouri's
population then was only 2,168,380, or
1856 per cent less than what it is now. !
Omitting the two-year period, 1881
1882, the State criminal costs of 1917 |
and 1918 and going back still further, |
holds the record for smallness down |
to the two-year period, 1871-1872, a |
biennial epoch for which the total |
reached $353,559 with State popu-
iation then of only 1,750.000.
The second half of the Hadley ad-
ministration, the years 1911 and 1912,
witnessed a disbursement by the |
State of $478,014 for costs in crimi-
nal cases, aand $9,069 for the appre-
hension of criminals and the suppress
sion of outlawry, total of $487 ,08l.
For the first six months of the second !
half of Governor Gardeners term, the |
States share of criminal cost equall-
ed but did not exceed those of any
six months period of the first two
years.
A Neat State Treasury Ncst-Egg
This even gait, if it continues, and
it will unless serious riots, or race, or
labor troubles break out somewhere
in Missouri between now and the close
of 1920, will save the commonwealth
taxpayers, approximately $255,000
over the total spent for the same pur-
pose during the entire Hadley admin
istration.
State criminal costs the four-year
periods of both the Major and the
Hadley administrations were nearly
even totaling $975,403 for the Major
Regime, and $975,188 for the advent
of the Mysterious Stranger" But it
must not be forgotten that when Eli
oft W. Major became Governor one
of the first problems he faced was to
again suppress outlawry in st. Louis
and Kansas City He found did
clubs" running in full blast, day and
night, with the full knowledge and
consent of the police and without
either State, country or municipal Ii
censes. Handbookmen operated ev-
erywhere and gambling houses were
as numerous as "lid clubs. These
were some of the evils Governor Jo-
seph W. Folk put out of business while
he was Governor, only to return with
Republican rule.