Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-09-24
MISSOURI DEMOCRATS.
come Gossip About Possible Democratic
Candidates for Governor-Prospects of
Lively Contest for the Nomination.

l
State politics are dormant at present
but little political gossip is not bad
thing even in an ''off year. The fol-
lowing, clipped from the st. Louis Re
public. will be read with keen interest
by many:
There will be lively contest owe,
the democratic nomination for gov
ernor, unless all present indications
fail. For several months past Hon
Richard Dalton, of Rails county, has
been the only avowed candidate in the
neld, and as the representative of the
Farmers Alliance he is stumping the
state. But now there is another candi
GATE In the person of Hon. S. FL. Clay.
COMB, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. who puts
his candidancy in this shape:
Il have not made any canvass, and
will not until the proper time arrives,
but shall be a candidate for governor.
My prospects? Well, 1 consider them
good, or would not make the race, OF
course. l know that the names of sew.
eral gentlemen have been mentioned in
connection with the gubernatorial race,
but L have not seen it mentioned that
any of them is an avowed candidate ex-
| ICPp DICh bdlpOD L Slldl1 We IL CduuI-
date. and l believe l will VIM
Y
This announcement will put Mr. Dali
ton on his mettle, for Gov. Claycomb is
a politician who has met with unvary-
ing success in all his efforts. He is a
native of Lafayette county, Mo-, a
graduate from the law department of
the university of Virginia, and a prom
inent member of the Missouri bar since
1868. He was elected to the house of rep
resentatives of the Thirty-third general
assembly, and then to the state senate in
| 1886. In the midst of his term as a
senator he was nominated and elected
| acknowledgements, and has one more
year to serve. He has presided over
the senate with dignity and skill, and
held himself aloof, as a presiding offi-
GER, from the discussions that have agi-
tated that body. Gov. Claycomb is a
citizen of Jasper county, and very pop
ular throughout the southwest. He is
of stalwart figure, bronzed, black-eyed
and curly-haired. And he makes an adj
n.irable speech.
There are two alleged candidates to
hear from. One, Judge Gibson, of Kan
sas. City, is so industriously saving
wood and attending to his duties as
judge of the Jackson county circuit
court that nothing positive is known
as to his intentions in the matter. The
| judge is an eX-mayOr of Kansas City
and had much to do with melting the
boom which lifted that town into met
| ropolitan proportions. In the fierce
| contest over the last gubernatorial
| nomination, he was an ardent supporter
of Gov. Francis, fact which no doubt
| accounts for the rumOr that the gov
ernor would like to have the Judge as
his successor. Judge Gibson is a COM
paratively young man, a natural politi-
clan and hustler who would make the
| fur fly if he determined to enter the
| gubernatorial race. In the meantime
he has four or five years yet to serve as
judge of the circuit court, and hence is
in good position to ''think it over
Ex-Congressman William J. Stone,
of Nevada, is the second name held in
expectancy as i'll the race for governor.
He is brilliant orator and a sound
statesman, as his long career in con-
gress abundantly demonstrated. BY
birth Kentucl<ian. he came to Missou-
ri at an early age, graduated from the
state university and was admitted to the
bar in 1867 Before his first election to
congress he served one term as prose-
cutting attorney of Vernon county. Mr..
Stone and Gov. Claycomb are of the
same age, AZ years, reside in the same
congressional district, the Twelfth, and
only one county separates their places
of residence. In view of this cOmmun-
ity of interests between the two men,
the politicians believe that, with Clay
comb in the race, Stone will remain
out, or that if Stone is forced in he will
first contest his congressional district
with Claycomb and abide by the re-
suit.
1t is apparent, however, that the law
yers who want to be governor are not
afraid that their profession will consti-
tute a handicap. Messrs. Claycomb,
Gibson and Stone are prominent attor-
neys and, while Stone has fine farm
and raises blooded cattle, he does not
plume himself on his agricultural
knowledge, but rather seeks fame and
fortune in his extensive law practice.
This leaves Hon. Richard Dalton as the
only present farmer candidate for gov
ernor. He is prominent in the councils
of the alliance, and is fighting the
sub-treasury scheme with great sue
cess, SO far as the presentation of argu-
ments is concerned. There has been
much talk of Hon. e. S. Hall, ex-
president of the alliance, but Mr. Hall
has grown weary of declaring that he
is not a candidate, and it is said that
eventually he will give Mr.. Dalton his
moral support. The name of eX-Gov.
a. p. Morehouse, of Nodaway, is like
wise frequently mentioned with great
favor, but it is believed he can be pre-
vailed upon to enter the contest. The
ex-governor has lucrative law
practice, an extensive farm and raises
fine horses and cattle. He has endeared
himself to the democrats of Missouri in
many ways and has grown to be ex-
ceedingly popular. There is small
likelihood, however, of his shieing his
castor into the gubernatorial ring.
But the elements of the gubernatorial
race will develop more rapidly when
Gov. Francis shall have convened the
legislature in special session for the
purpose of reforming the congressional
districts under the apportionment act
The effort will be made to .get fifteen
new districts out of the old fourteen,
and politicians will be anxiously watch
ing the clash of individual interests.