The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-05-06

the only thing they feared was the
submission of the bills in question to
the referendum. That is the reason
they are exerting every possible eff
fort to seduce Democrats and lead
them to believe that it would be bet
ter for the Democrats to let the bills
go into effect. IF they are bad bills
they whispered into Democratic ears,
"the people will find it out and turn
the Republicans out of office" Soma
few Democrats swallowed this plausi-
BILE, but poisonous, bait, because very
few had given serious consideration
TO the exact situation.
If the bills proposed to be submit
ted to the referendum go into effect,
they may not be repealed in twenty
years, regardless of what the people
think of them, because the senatorial
gerrymander is the finishing touch in
sweeping plan to destroy the Demo-
cratic party in this state.
This is worth your serious thought,
acknowledgements; you cannot afford
to play the Republican game, without
scuttling the Democratic ship for all
time.
Suppose the judicial gerrymander
goes into effect, regardless of it's in
equities? 1t means partisan control
of the states judiciary indefinitely. 1t
means vastly more than merely legis-
lating Democratic judges, elected by
the people, out of office.
Suppose the Kansas City courts bill
becomes effective? 1t gives the Jack
son county Republicans, with the
"boss element on top" control over
the minor courts of Jacqson county,
with a multitude of patronage and
power, indefinitely, regardless of the
fact that the people of Jackson county
elected the men who are to be driven
from office, and the selections of the
Governor put in their places.
Suppose the budget bill becomes eff
fective, with its autocratic and arbi-
trary powers over all state expendi-
lures, and control for one man over
all state contracts and state purchas-
es? 1t means "slush funds, that is
what it means, "slush funds" for the
Republican party. The Governor in
tends to appoint DR.. c. M. LeBow of
Kansas City Budget Commissioner
this is an open secret. This crafty gen.
tleman is an expert campaign fund
raiser. He was and is a political and
personal satellite of Walter S. Dickey.
He raised $125,000 of the tremendous
sum raised by Dickey and his crowd
list year, for the purpose of electing
Hyde and his ticket. Do you want
this man to control all state contracts?
Do you want him put into a position
where he can follow the method of the
st. Louis machine and go about the
state, holding up every man who sells
to the state for ten per cent,
for the use and benefit of the Republi-
can party? Of course you do not, but
that is what is going to happen. And
this bill will not be repealed so long
as the republicans can hold power, and
they figure they can hold power as
long as this bill enables them to sand
bag the state for campaign funds!
This is not an idle dream, but a plain
fact. e,
Suppose the agricultural, labor and
public welfare consolidation bills go
into effect? They will add million
dollars to the cost of the state gov
eminent every two years. They will
turn over to partisan commissioner,
by Hyde, all Of the agricul-
tural activities of the state, including
the state fair; they will convert into
a political machine ofiVast proper
tons an army of state employees, in
spectors and agents, with appropria-
tons SO large that it may be almost
doubled in the next two years, oil for
the purpose of ham-stringiRg, the
Democratic party and driving it from
any possible position of strength.
Why should we wait until everybody
finds out what these bills mean, before
we begin the fight upon them? If we
do, we will be in the situation of a man
who has taken deadly poison, with
no antidote in sight or reach. Shall
we do it? Your answer will come,
when you decide what to do with that
referendum petition you have in your
possession, Mr.. Democratic Committee
man and Madam Democratic Commit
teeman. If you want to live with
hopes 5f Democratic victory in Mis-
souri,, without being throttled by
mortal strangle-hold. manipulated by
such experts as Hiram Lloyd, Walter
Dickey, and the like. you will carry
the petitions to your neighbors and Sc
cure the necessary siUnatures