The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-05-08
now THE WIND BLOWS.

Topeka Capital: A bird in the hand
is worth two IN the bush, and on that
principle the Democratic party of Kan
sas has set out to defeat the nomination
OF John A. Martin for governor. The
Kansas City Times, which circulates
more extensively in this state than any
Democratic paper published within the
lines, and is recognized as really the
| party organ in Kansas, is deyoting as
much time aud effort 10 prevent the
Colonel's nomination as it did to defeat
Mr.. Funston in the Second congressional
district last winter. The Patriot of
Atchison, and the Standard of Leaven-
worth, the leading Democratic papers Of
Kansas are sailing on the same track,
and the entire Democratic press of the
state have trimmed their sails for the
same breeze. If there is one paper in
Kansas ranked as opposed TO the Repub-
lican party that is not opposed to the
nomination Of Col. Martin, It has escap-
cd our notice. All this shows how the
wind blows.
And it has q bearing that Republicans
will do we'll to note. The reasons given
for this opposition are not such as are
named by Republican papers that are
hesitating. The Nationalist, for In
stance, is in doubt as TO whether prohi-
bition would be safe in Martins hands;
but that is not the ground of objection
by Democrats. They do not lose step
In their attack on that score. They un-
derstand very well that the Republican
party of Kansas has undertaken to make
prohibition in this state perpetual; and
they see IN this movement IN favor of
Col. Martin "a cementing of party
strength on that very issue. They are
trying TO stir up i'll feelings on the part
OF such men as Ex-Governor st. John,
Judge s. o. Thatcher and Hon. Albert
Griffin, toward Colonel Martin. But
they are not attempting to show to
these gentlemen that Colonel Martin
is not sincerely in favor Of retain
ing the prohIbitorY plank IN the plat
form. and not in favor of enforcing the
law; they urge that he is recent con-
vert and that he ought TO stand aside and
let the original Prohibltionists remain
In the lead. They would arouse jeal-
ousy, not fealty; they would divide and
not unite the Republican party. They
hope to so irritate the active and ag-
gressive prohibition element of the par
ty as to cause hot-headed demand for
radical leader, careless of consequences
which Democrats would take care OF.
There is no doubt in anybody's mind
about the tenor of the platform. That
will be uneQuIvOcally prohibition, so
far as state politics is concerned. 1t in
addition TO a stalwart prohibition plank
In the platform, the Democrats can sue
coed in forcing forward radical Prohi-
bitionIst for our candidate, one whose
name would be perpetual re-
minder of his standing on this particu-
lar question, then they would open their
batteries upon his record in other re-
spects. If he is weak on the transporta-
ton problem, that would be magnified
into extravagant proportions, and that
part would be played for all and good
deal more than it is worth. So of every
important and unimportant public and
private act, If there could be anything in
or about it distorted into something Of
fensiVe. All these things are prudently
kept in the background for the present.
Prohibition is the tune to play. If they
can by any abuse of Col. Martin prevent
his nomination, they have won the first
point in the game, because they will
have removed the most obstructiLg OBJ.
stacle in their way.
1 What our enemies desires US TO do, il
is safe TO refuse TO do. The opposite is
our better course if We care to beat
This anxiety is an omen that we ought
to consider seriously. A dYed-in-the
wool ProhIbitionist, said to the writer OF
this yesterday on the street-"I have
Just heard the strongest kind of an ar.
gument in favor of John A. Martin. 4
Democrat was trying to persuade me
tina. he is not safe on prohibitlon. Count
me for John, now" And that Is the
common sense Interpretation of all this
fusIlade against Col. Martin. They
know his personal character Is abso
lutely irreproachable; they know his
feality to his party Is beyond question
and his loyalty to his country and STATE
has been proved as by fire.