The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-10
The Stalwarts Against Him.

FROM TIE Atca4Son Champion
The Kansas City Times, which, by the way,
can hardly be said to be an infallible oracle m
matters Of Kansas Republican politics, saidre-
Gently: Marsh Murdoch has been dismissed
by the stalwarts as a candidate In support
of this startling assertion it quotes the follow
ing from Fourth district Republican .:
Look at the files of his paper for the past three
years said Fourth district Republican. You
can find snariing objections 10 protection,
you viii discover Plunlb's currency heresies,
and you win find Murdoch particularly I'M
sound and inimical to the party on prohibition.
Even II the party consents TO silence OH this
| question, they can not afford to be put ON the
defensive, as column after column OF Muir
docks utterances would appear in every oppo-
sition paper. Murdoch is not in it."
Who the Fourth district Republican" is or
whether he has been quoted correctly. of course
the Champion does not know, but this much
it does know, to-wit: that he has no right to
assume that his personal convictions represent
the stalwart Republican sentiment of the state
with reference 10 Colonel Murdock's candi-
dacy, for the simple reason that neither he nor
anyone else has any reason toimpugn the COLI
onels Republicanism, nor to attempt to en-
barrass his candidacy by discrediting his fealty
20 the party.
Furthermore, the Wichita EAGLE, unless we
are greatly in error. has for q long time past
been one Of the most pronounced defenders
and champions of McKinleyism; and what bet
ter proof need be demanded of ''stalwart'' Re-
publicanism-of the Fourth district Republi-
can" brand, than this?
As TO Murdock's Unsoundness on prohibit
ton, wei, the same thing. il it be a fact, may
be said Of ether Kansas Republicans. 1t is
true that Col. Murdoch has not advocated pro-
hibition with whisky breath; he has not been
q DrOhi btionlSf for reyenf,a finiI-. he has
used prohibition, as so many Others have, as
means for promoting his personal political
ends; but he has not antagonzed the law to
the extent OF aiding and abetting its nullitca-
ton; he has, in his relation to it, simply taken
the ground that, so far as his city was con-
cerned, it has not produced all the results
claimed for it by its friends, and that, in his
Judgment, 1t is not the success it might be-
So far as he could consistently he has given it
his moral support. He has not rent his gar
ments, nor paved the air. nor torn up the turf
IN an idiotic advocacy of prohibition. but he
has counseled continually through his paper
respect for the law.
And, all this aside. the Republicans of Kan
sas at this late day are not in a position to
make fealty to political prohibition condition
to political preferment. Prohibition is not any
longer, and no sort of political jugglery can
avail to make it, party issue. That question
is settled and what any Kansas Republicans
convictions may have or may not have been on
that question no longer cuts any figure, and
those who attempt to intrude it into our pol
itics again as disturbing factor will simply
pave the way for a repetition in Kansas of
what has come to pass in Republican circles
in Iowa.
The question now to be considered in rela-
ton to Col. Murdoch is not what has BEEN but
what Is. And if Marshall NJ. Murdoch is not
stalwart" Republican, and in every sense the
superior of those who are exerting themselves
to Impugn his Republicanism, then there are
no stalwartS in Kansas.
Possibly among coterie of so-called fixers
Col Murdoch may not be lin it, but the great
masses of Kansas Republicans The Champion
believes, when the time comes, will be found
to be for Murdoch, no matter what the ring
may say or do TO the contrary