The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-01-20
LEAYESWORTH AND THE SENATOR
SHIP.

The Lawrence journal in labored
article upon Alexander Caldwell, the
Leavenworth candidate for the Senator
ship, gives its reasons for supporting
that gentleman in preference TO any 9TH
er seeking the position. These reasons
are two. The Journal believes in the
first place that Mr.. CaldweII's qualifica-
tons are superior to those possessed by
any other candidate; and secondly, as
also mainly" because the Senator at
this time should come from Leaven-
worth. If the Journal honestly be-
lieves that Mr.. Caldwell has qualifica-
tons superior to any other candidate in
the field, then that is most excellent
reason for giving him hearty support /;
but to say that its main reason for sup
porting him is because it believes our
next United States Senator should be a
Leavenworth man, is furnishing a very
questionable ground for support. Are
itor of the Journal would prefer a
Leavenworth candidate, no matter how
unfit for the position, to candidate
from any other portion of the State,
no matter how we'll qualified? If the
fact that Mr.. Caldwell halls from Leav-
enworth is the reason paramount to ev-
cry other why the Journal supports
him this inference is warrantable.
And right here let us say that if this
argument of locality is of any signifi-
canoe, and justly entitled to weighty
consideration, the claims of Gov. Craw-
ford would, on this ground, be much
stronger than those of any other candi-
date. Every candid man must admit
that if any particular portion of this
State is entitled to representation in
Congress more than any other, it is
the Southwest. Northern Kansas has
for years monopoiized both the Repre-
sentative and the Senators, while South.
eastern Kansas has just furnished Mr.
Clarke's successor. So that if this ar.
gument of locality is worth anything
at all, the Southwest is justly entitled
to the benefit of it. The Journals as.
sumption that the welfare of the State
would be best subserved7by the election
of Leavenworth Senator because the
railroad interests of our metropolis
would in that case be properly looked
after, is admissible only upon the
ground that the matter of greatest i'm
portance to the State, and the one
which should occupy the chief thought
and attention of our delegation in Con.
gress, is securing the passage of mea.
sures that shall result in the construc-
ton of desirable railroad lines leading
to and from Leavenworth. We feaI
that the Journal would find it difficult
task to convince the people of the State
that the matter just referred to is OF
greater Importance to the State than all
her other interests. In our opinion this
question of locality should be of minor
consideration. 1t should not be entire
ly ignored, but it should be kept in the
background. The chief consideration
should be fitness for the position. Sc
lect the man (without reference to the
place where he resides) whose expert
ence in public matters is the largest
whose integrity is most sterling and
fully represent the interests of the
whole State is most adequate: and
whose freedom from the influence
Of railroad corporations is
most widely acknowledged.
In whomsoever these qualifications are
found in the highest degree, upon him
let the Legislature have the honor and
praise of comforting the Senatorshlp; in
which event, Samuel j. Crawford, and
not Alexander Caldwell, and not even
Thaddeus Walker, and certainly not
Sidney Clarke, will be chosen United
States Senator on next Tuesday.