Wichita eagle., 1886-11-19
RODOLPH HATFIELD.
His Candidacy for the Speakership OF the
House.

$4,000
has been quoting the many fatterlng ana
commendatory notices Of the press through
out the state. of the proposed candidacy OF
Hon. Rodolph Hatfield for the speakership
this winter. and this matter is not alone
the EAGLES. but is one in which our PEG
pie are well nigh unanimously Interested
and concerned. And it is all the more
interesting and gratifying that these notices
were not inspired by his home papers, but
that they have come Of the conviction OF
his eminent fitness for the honorable and
responsible position; come from men who
had marked his course and weighed his in
fiuence in the last general assembly OF the
state, Of which he was so bright and con
spicuous member We will not deny
that it was our intention, at the proper
time. to urge his candidacy and election,
solely upon the grounds Of his ability and
his generally recognized superior quallflca
ii ons fol the position In addition, we DO
doubt would have appealed to the members
of the west and southwest, urging, per
haps, local considerations and all that, but
in all this we have been forestalled, gener-
ousy forestalled, by leading papers, which
have placed his candidacy upon the
broader. the unselfish. and the more ten
able grounds of personal fitness and con
spcuous ability. His party here at home,
so unanimously recognized these reasons,
not only from the able manner IN which
he acquitted himself on the floor of the
house last winter, but from their personal
knowledge Of his worth and stability as a
citizen that he received his denomination
unanimously and in the absence OF any
opposition Of whatever character. Accept
ing this wider platform offered by cur con
temporaries the EAGLE row earnestly calls
the attention or the people Of the state at
large TO his candidacy and enthusiastically
urges upon the members Of the house the
election OF Mr. Hatfield as their presiding
officer. We do this in the fullest assurance
and under the calmest conviction that ne
would not only prove q wise, safe and con
sentative presiding officer but one whose
actions, decisions nor record would ever
cause the Republican party or the immedi-
ate members of the house single after re-
greet.
In recalling his votes, speeches and acts
on the fjoor of the last house we do not be-
lieve there is a single thing in his entire
record which would be set down as mis-
take, as blunder or as an Intentional
wrong. Take. his positions on the labor
question, the various railroad bills, and the
matters which touched the farmers and the
productive interests Of the state, and he
left even no room for criticism. In edu-
catioual matters he was the peer OF any
leader. BY work and voice he aided in
every possible way the bill granting the
Salt lands to the State Normal School ard
the appropriation Of $4,000 for the ETY.
mological department Of the state universe
tv. He introduced and secured the
passage OF tHc al D4I4dI4cih i"''i
bill His superior qualifications
for presiding officer was fully recognized
bv the speaker. who called him to preside
over the committee of The whole house
more frequently than any other member
save possibly one.
Conservative, fair minded and moi III any
sense factious or clannish, he would make
most popular presiding officer. And
while. 10 doubt ambitious, he would not
use or expect to make the speakcrship Il
stepping stone to other Or more
exalted positions, but attempt to
fill the measure Of his ambitions
in the plaudits and commentators OF the
men who had so signally honored him by
making him their presiding officer In
short, As a candidate for speaker he has no
enmies to punish, no interests 10 serve, ne
/ localities to favor, and no ambitions TO for
ward He goes into the contest without
any feeling against any other member who
may be a candidate If defeated, no one
will ever detect a spark of revenge; il
elected. his greatest and only concern will
be to fill the place in a satisfactory manner
to the house to his party and to his friends
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