Truth Volume 2

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 Excerpt: ...been, including the present administration, five Democratic and three Republican administrations. It has been generally believed, however, for the last fifteen years, that the city is normally Republican. At the last municipal election the Public Ownership Party had almost as large a vote as either the Democratic or ... Read More

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 Excerpt: ...been, including the present administration, five Democratic and three Republican administrations. It has been generally believed, however, for the last fifteen years, that the city is normally Republican. At the last municipal election the Public Ownership Party had almost as large a vote as either the Democratic or Republican party. It is probable that the city is nearly equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, with a moderate number of independent voters. Municipal frauds and corruption in office have been about equally divided, also, so far as the parties are concerned. As in all other great municipalities where the party strength is nearly equal, corrupt officials, while nominally of one party or the other, are really of no party except that of plunder. It happens that the majority of those now under indictment are Republicans, but there is no special significance in this fact, for malefactors of this stamp are "To no creed or code confined." The attitude of the public toward the different forms of municipal corruption which have afflicted St. Louis has also varied from time to time. As a rule apathy has been its prevailing characteristic. The public generally has exhibited the same indifference to its own affairs as is to be observed in all the other great cities. In consequence of this the interested few have often usurped the functions of the majority, foisted themselves into office by leading the voters to the polls by the nose and plundering the public treasury with practical immunity from interference. There has of course been the usual amount of grumbling and partisan crimination and recrimination. When the city's affairs have gone along quietly and satisfactorily, the people are content and say nothing, never giving any expre... Read Less