The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-09-14
The Congressional Race.

nomination under adyisement with the determ-
ination TO run if the Democrats did not make
nomination. That they did make domination,
was not the fault of Mr.. Guthre's friends, who
labored hard to dissuade them from it, There
upon Guthrie publishes a card drelining the
nomination, in which he exhibits spirit far
from sweet-tempered, and has not added single
one to the number of bis friends. The course of
himself and friends has been ridiculous through
ont. Ass inning that he was the peoples choice,
if the politicians would but keep hands off, (for-
getting that in Kansas all the people are politi-
cians,) he and his friends undertook to nominate
him by vote of one-third of the delegates elect
ed to the Convention, and to break mp the whole
thing in a when they conld not succeed.
Then, after playing candidate for week, plac-
ing his continued candidacy at the mercy of the
Democrats. in the hope that they would unite
with him in the great work of defeating the reg
ular Republican nominee, he publishes long
and formal letter of observation-disclosures to
the President of the boiling Convention, and
first read by him in the columns of newspaper.
Had Mr.. Guthrie quit right there, when the Con-
ventioD split, he would have made friends, and
increased his chances for future promotion but
we doubt whether the course he has pursued
will meet the approval even of many who SYM
pathized with him in his late canvass.
His letter of declination is growl, and a re-
hash of the current bosh about the ''reform" that
is needed. He does not directly charge, but
leaves the inference, that Col Phillips is q cor
ruptionist, and that the public interest demand
ed his defeat Mr. Guthrie's aspiration for the
Office was an honorable one, and no one can just
ly censure him for it but if Col. Phillips is cor
rupt, why not tell the public whereini 1t is a
significant fact, that since Col. Phillips entrance
into Congress, he has not been charged with a
single corrupt act. His bitterest enemies, who
have worked the hardest to defeat him, have
not 50 charged him. Nor has he been accused of
neglect of or recreancy to . single Republican
principle, or interest of the people of Kansas.
He has stood closely to his post, and every meas
ure for the benefit of Kansas has received his
hearty and earnest aid. When Mr.. Guthrie in-
sinuates that the interests of "reform" demand
the defeat of Phillips, he only exposes the sore
ness of his own disappointment.
The great secret of disafecton with Phillips,
is a difficulty to which every member of Congress
is exposed. They cannot avoid it, under our
present system, and necessarily make enemies.
Had Guthrie been nominated and elected, he
would have encountered the same trouble, in all
its delights. This difficulty is, that the member
of Congress is unable to procure a fat office for
every man who votes for him-especially those
sefconceited, powerful fellows who carry whole
Counties and Districts in their breechesp pockets.
Col. Phillips has not been able to give every up
start land office, a post-offce, or a mail route
agency, nor to locate land Office in every ambi-
tious hamlet. 1t may be that he made promises
or held out hopes in that direction that he could
not fulfill. But the man who sells himself by
supporting candidate in consideration of the
promise of an Office, deserves TO be sold by the
candidate. 1t is safe to say that the great up
rising of the people which Mr.. Guthrie encoun-
tered everywhere, demanding that he become a
candidate, was of such persons above described
and had he succeeded, he would soon have found
the same class uprising for somebody else.
Another grievance of Mr.. Guthrie is, that Of
fice-holders took part in the Convention. If So
there was but this slight difference: actual Office
holders took part on one side, while expectant
officeholders swelled the lists of the other. But
it has got to be favorite thing, that as as
drel, and if he continues to take an active part
in politics, such action is corrupt. If man
once gets an Office, he has right to take an
interest in politics, or in Conventions. This is
the way it looks to an out. But if the same out
chances to get a nomination, and the ofice-hold-
er does not get out and work for him, then he at
once becomes disgusted with the hoggish fellow
who is enjoying fat Office, but will not turn a
hand to help the party. This is the way Guthrie
has been looking at it, and he was very anxious
that the Democratic party of the District should
see 1t through his specs.
But Guthrie is off the track, and now the
Champion tells the Philips men they must not
make mouths at Guthrie's friends, or poke fun
at them, or say harsh things about them, or they
might get mad, and refuse turn out and vote.
The Champion doesn't seem to realize that the
whole outfit made very foolish and ridiculous
exhibition of themselves. 1t made but little diff
ference whether Guthrie withdrew or not, and
makes as little difference whether the boilers
vote or not. They were powerless for harm, in
either case. If they had seen the ghost of q
chance for success, they would have continued
the split Now, after being snubbed by the |
who saw they were of no force they
come back with the assurance of men who hold |
the fate of the party in their hands. Nobody
will object to their voting the Republican tick
ct; and if they only stop squealing, to remind
the public that somebody kicked them on their
sore shins, it will soon be forgotten that they
made fools of themselves, but everything will
move along as lovely as if that appalling bolt
had never occurred.