The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-02-13


ave heretofore manipulated such
utterly "lost their grip"
N this contest. They were there in
numbers, but about all
hey could do was 10 loaf about the
,ooms of the Teft H0nse. swear and
ook wise. The contest, to use
phrase more forcible than elegant
got out of tine old ruts," and the
manipulation, in answer
10 the question, which become very
fashionable, "What do you know 2"
could only leave you with the con-
yiction that he knew nothing more
than any other man as to the result.
So the contest ran for seven days.
In Kansas politics it was a seven
days wonder. One day one candi.
dates stock would be up. The next
daY il would be fiat and some 9TH
CT candidate would have the run.
The crowd would sway from one
gentleman's headquarters TO anoth-
er's, because there was a larger ele-
ment in this legislature than in any
former one we have any knowledge
of, whose sole aim was TO plant
their fortunes with the winning
side. This clement would flock
from one candidate 10 another, as
the chances OF success changed.
Perhaps there was no element in
the legislature that came out so
BADLY and entirely "scoOped" as
the class who denominate them
selves "Reformers." They opened
their caucuses at the commence
ment of the session with about Is
votes, and could have run the Iegls-
Iature and made the Senator had
they been in earnest in their profess
sions. They were divided in their
counsels. There were too many
demagogues amongst them-tOo
many who went into the reform
business simply for their own Hg-
grandizement. Through the influ-
ence of two or three willy and foxy
Democrats, and by the inordinate
Senatorial ambition of two or three
'new party" shysters, they were
divided and rendered poWerless.
AT no time did they cast over fif-
teen to twenty votes in unison, and
their caucuses on the Senatorial
question wore nothing more than
the merest farces. We trust the
frothy fellows who pretend to be
leaders of the Reform movement
will be watched in future, and thai
the members will settle down to the
work of legislating for the best in
terests of the State. AS a body
they cut no figure in the Senatorial
election. All good men in the leg
islature as well as out of 1t are il
favor of true reform, and the peo
pie will hold those responsible whC
play the part of demagogues fol
their own advantage.
We were greatly in hopes at til,
outset of the contest that Southern
Kansas would carry off the prize
and that some man south of tn,
Kaw river would be elected. Blu
in this we were again disappointed
In the person of Col. p. b. Plumb
the Southwest had a candidate the,
were proud to ask the members t.
support. No man fIom the Soutt
in any of the State contests, ever be
fore called around him so mucl
strength as did Col. Plumb. H
started out with IL votes and in
creased his strength to 81 votes
He was, by everybody, acknowledg
ed TO be the ablest and best man il
the field for the position, and hi
friends stuck to him with a tenacit,
which showed their faith in him
We can assign his defeat TO no high
or causes than the petty preiudic,
which existed because two years
ago, on personal grounds, he differ
ed with some people as 10 wht
should be President, and tn,
treachery OF L. S. Slower. 1
seemed of no use to a
sure members that Col. PlHml
did not leave the Republican party
but supported its ticket throughout
with two exceptions. We are salts
fed that the sensible portion of tn,
members had other motives for urg
ing this objection, than those of de
voIion to Republicanism. As t.
Mr.. Slower, we will simply say b.
can have all the credit he will re
ceive in his efforts to defeat the
election of q Southw estern man
When Lyon, Usage, Greenwood
Chase, Morris, Marion, Butler
Howard, Sedgwick, Sumner, Cow
ley, Reno, and Barber had unitet
upon Col. Plumb, almost to a man
and were making q gallant and en-
thusiastic fight for him, Slower al
lowed his weakness to get the bcs
of him, after he had voluntaril.
pledged himself not to permit tn
use of his name so long as tn
Southwest chung to the support @
Plumb, and became the tool of thos
who wished to divide the threaten
ing influence of this section of tn
State. OF course we recognize tn,
right OF any man to be a candidate
for any office, but under the circum
stances we think that this maj
should have kept his pledge, in
stead of seeking to divide the sec
ton of the state where he mus
look for political preferment.
may at least be said that he has no
made a very honorable record
Perhaps he did as we'll as could b.
expected of a man of his vanity ani
light cAlibre.
Col. Plumb came out of the con
test in the best possible shape, re
ceiving the praise of ali for the man
ly and honorable fight which b.
made. He has more friend
throughout the State to-day thar
ever before. And the best of all i
that in this struggle Southwestern
Kansas has shown a united front
The best of feeling prevail
| .h.o...I.n,,A sh;n nnoAinn &c khn SAnAn