Evening star., 1923-05-29

JOSEPH W. FOLK.
Joseph wingate Folk. former
governor OF Missouri. one of the
leaders Of the national democratic
party. at one time a candidate for the
presidential nomination, one OF the
best known lawyers Of the country and
author of numerous texts and other
law works and who enjoyed the title
OF the man who cleaned up MIS-
souri, politics" died yesterday in New
York city at the age of fifty-three
He died at the home Of a sister, Mrs.
James A. webb He had been III
for several months suffering nerV-
GUS breakdown year ago
Governor Folk was born at Browns
VILE, Tenn, October %, 1859, and was a
son of Henry B. Folk and Martha Estes
Folk He graduated from Wander
bilt University in the class OF 1890
with the degree of LII. T. ana was
given the degree Of LII u. by Uni
versity Of Missouri in 1905. lie was
honored by these universities: WI
liam Jewell College, 1905; Drury Col
lege, 1907; Westminster College, Full
ton, Mo, 1907; Southwestern Baptlst
University, Tenn, 1908, and waco
Texas University, 1919.
MHrrIed iSoO.
In 1896 he married Miss Gertrude
Glass of Brownsville. Tenn. he was
a admitted to the bar in 1890 and prac-
ticed law at Brownsville. Tenn, for
four years, when he located in st.
Louis. Mo, and later was circuit at
torney.
He first came into political prom
inence when he exposed the political
ring of Missouri. prosecuting and
convicting a number of cases. He
was Governor of Missouri 1919 10
1909, being elected on the democratic
ticket by a majority OF 10000, al
though in that election the odoTe
Roosevelt carried the state by 25,O00
He brought about many REFORMS
while governor. He was the author
OF the anti-lobby laws state wide
primaries, initiative and referendum
child labor law. compulsory educa-
| tional laws, the public utilities com
mission laws, the anti-race track leg
| islation. removal of dereltct oft1clals
for failure to do their official duties
and other constructive Legislation
and reforms.
While Governor OF Missouri he was
made a delegate at large TO the
democratic national convention OF
1908, in which William Je9ning' ming
Bryan and Folk became fast friends
and at the suggestion of the former
the governor took to the lecture plat
form upon his retirement from state
politics and his return to private
practice.
Candidate in 1912.
In 1912 he announced his candidac cy
for President on the democratic
ticket and opened campaign head
quarters in Joplin. Mo. His platform
| included equal rights, eradication o1
all tariff except for revenue. preserva
tion of state rights and the election
f01
| lowing was large and for a time n
threatened to disrupt the state. hall
! Of which was backing the late ChamI
Clark for the nomination. Mr.. Bryan
| suggested that the Missouri delega-
I tien split the vote, but while the prop
losition was being considered Mr.. Foll
| decided to withdraw from the running
and throw his strength to Clark.
| With the incoming democratic ad'
Iministratfon. Folk was appointed So
licitor Of the State Department b!
President Wilson. Later he was made
Commerce Commission. a position he
held more than four years. although
he still maintained connection will
the State Department as counsel
In the latter capacity he attracted
considerable attention by taking
hand in the famous Harry Thaw case
when Thaw was deported from Can.
1 ada in 1913 The defendant claim et
violation OF his rights as a citizen ant
appealed to the Department of State
| to make representations to the Brit1sf
government Folk, however, squelched
the action by deciding Thaw's rights
had not been violated.
In Many Stormy Cases
Folks connection with the Inter
| state Commerce Commission carried
him through many stormy cases, In
| the prosecution of which he dupli-
| Gated the successes and popularity oi
; his home career He pushed investi-
foremost of which was a probe into
!! the activities of the New York, New
Haven and Hartford, and the com
| bination Of the Louisville and Nash
willie and the Nashville, Chattanooga
and ST. Louis.
He resigned from the commission
| in 1918 to return to St. Louis as gen
eral counsel for the chamber of com
| meroe there. He took up the city's
] fight against terminal monopolies and
free bridge operations. and also con.
\ tinued his private practice in tha,
| city and Washington. He later re-
/ ceived the democratic nomination Il
| the United States Senate, but was
defeated.
| In 1918 he became counsel for Egyp'
in that country's fight against the
British protectorate. and flied will
! Congress several complaints against
the British rule. For some time ht
| fought on the side of the natives. and
| according to his friends and follow.
| ers. when that country received III
! autonomy from England, 1t was al
| organization based upon Folks ideas
that was used for the new Egyptian
| government.
Represented Peru.
His practice grew along nationa
and international lines, and in 1872;
| he was asked to represent Peru ir
1 the negotiations with Chile over the
| Tacna.Arica controversy. His worf
| resulted in the United States inviting
4 the two countries to settle their dis
pute at Washington, and prompted
the offer of good offices by this gov
His political activities PRACTICAL,
ended with a stumping campaign III
/ 1890, during which he carried the
| democratic fight into the enemy ter
| ritory Of the stanchest northern
Gov Folk maintained law offices ir
this city, in the Southern building
T, New York city and st. Louis, Mo.
| He is survived by his wife
/ Mrs. Gertrude Glass Folk; three
brothers, Reau T.. Folk. Carey A
! Folk and Humphrey B. Folk, all Of
Nashville, Tenn. and two sisters
/, Mrs. James A. webb of New Yorl
| city and Mrs. Allen Cox of Helena
Ark.
--~,--- ~-ny~,yn