The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1878-11-07
A AContenp,iDle shysser Exposed.

A Contemptible shyster Exposed.
We may as well say, in the beginning, that
this article refers to W. W. Guthrie. He is q
man Of some native Yankee shrewdness ard per-
severance, aud who las been political aspirant
for the past twenty-one years, but has no more
political sagacity or dignity than ten y-ar-old
boy. He is coDceited, touchy, pefulant. spitefnl,
gullible to the last degeee, talks too mnch with
his mouth, has worms, and is not very happy
tempered himself. In his political campaigns,
he sets down every man who speaks pleasantly
to him as firm supporter, and confides all his
plans to every man, woman and child he meets.
He almost invariably ''gets left" which makes
him sour aud spitefal at every man and every
community that he thinks ought to have favor
ed him, but didn't, and incontinently makes an
ass of himself.
Guthrie became terribly bitter against certain
men in Doniphan County, because they support
ed Col. Phillips for Congress, two years ago,
and turned the scale against himself He thonght
he had pre- -emption right to the vote Of Doni-
phan County. He threatened revenge, or, in his
favorIte phrase, to "psy his debts.'' This year,
he undertook the payment, in the shape of de-
feating the Republican ticket. If hs meets with
the same success in paying all his debts, hs is
destined to hopeless bankruptcy. He used his
influence and advice 20 defeat Close for District
Clerk, Heatley for County Attorney, Selover for
Representative, and indirectly. Kennedy for
Representative but his big effort was against
Phil. Kelley for Representative in the First Dis
trict. Kelley had mortally offended him, aud
he traversed that District, spending time and
money in organizing opposition. After trying
in vain to get out Republicans as independent
candidates, the conspirators settled upon b. A.
Seaver, Democrat, and went to work to buck
Mr.. Waters, the regular Democratic nominee, off
the track, "because he could not be elected "
He found ready assistant in J. P. johnson,
Chairman of the Republican County Convention,
and in B. S. Campbell, ex-Sherif. Two years
ago, Campbell was the especial friend of Col.
Phillips IN this County, and Kelley had done
gallant service in assisting him to secure the
success of Phillips against Guthrie. His alacrity
in aiding Guthrie to punish Kelley for that ser
vice, may be accounted for by those who are ex-
pert in solving such mysteries. To further their
scheme, they famed an old feud between High
land and White Cloud, that good Republicans
have been trying for years to heal, but which
seems destined never to be healed, as long
as certain parties remain upon the stage of
action-a feud, by the way, that has hurt only
the Republican party, and has hurt it badly.
But they also attended to other localities, visit
ing every precinct in the District, stirring up
opposition in every way they could devise.
Guthrie even flooded the District with printed
circulars, containing statements and afidavits
of unknown persons, who may or may not have
an existence, charging Kelley with having aided
the escape of horse thief, aud appealing to the
farmers not to send man to Topeka to make
laws for them, who was the alder and abettor of
the thieves who steal their horses.
Now for the result. When men are so anxious s
that they overdo a thing, it usually reacts
against themselves. Kelley is elected by large
majority. Highland went heavily against him,
but White Cloud went more heavily for him.
Iowa Point that has not failed for years, to give
a large Democratic majority, gives him seven
majority. Fanning, uusally very close, gives
him "a majority. Wolf River and Union Town
ships give him majorities. Kennedy and Selover
are elected, and Close aud Heatley are likewise.
Somuch for Guthrie's power in Douiphan Coun-
ty-especially when it comes to "paying his
debts" We imagine that the support he rnay
hereafter get from this County, will be good for
colir in horses. He has overreached himself,
and is flattened out. Guthrie has had a number
of staunch friends in this County. Some of them
have been censuringu us for expressing an unfavor-
able opinion of him, but We have uniformly ad-
vised them to watch and wait, aud they would
find him bogus, and not safe to tie to. Within
the past few days, q nnmber Of them have come
to us, and told us that they are now satisfied
that We were right. We heartily concur la the
opinion.
P.S-There are a large number of Guthrie's
circulars scattered over the First District, that
are now useless As he was doubtless at some
expense in having them printed, We suggest
that he gat her them up, and sell them for waste
paper, thereby reimbursing himself, in slight
degree, for his fruitless outlay.