Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-09
Anomalous Condition of Affairs in
the Twelfth Missouri.
OPPOSITION To- CONGRESSMAN HEARD
Mr.. Bland Confident and UntroubIed
by Doubt.
SENATOR VESTS DISCRETION
pecial Correspondence Of The Evening star.

An anomalous condition of affairs exists
In the twelfth congressional district of Mis-
sour. The present representative is Seth
w. Cobb. grain broker. who Is serving his
second term. Twice he has positively de-
ciined to run for reelection, and for the
third time the denomination has been ten
dered to him. a denomination which Il IN
now thought he may accept. Mr. Cobb Is q
popular business man OF wealth and social
position. who stands very close to the Presi-
dent His warmest friend is ex-Goy,
Francis. whom he will support against
George Graham Vest in 1895. He Is neither
free silver man nor a free trader. though
staunch advocate Of bi-metalism through
international agreement and Of tariff re-
form on lines laid down In the original Will
son bill. II Mr.. Cobb had announced three
months ago that he would like a third term,
IT is probable not the slightest opposition
would have developed In his own party.
His reelection would have been q foregons
conclusion.
A single Taxer I'm the Field.
But a great deal OF local political history
has been made here In the last three
months. and the future chronicler Of events
will probably note that this year Of grace
witnessed the passing OF the political for
tunes OF Congressman Cobb.
The St Louis Republic OF Sunday last adj
yises the democratic party OF the twelfth
district where q majority Of several thou
hand has heretofore been conceded to Il,
either TO make no nomination, or else to
formally inuC rse a single taxer, who I'D to
1879 was a republican. His name Is n. o.
Nelson He is one Of the richest manufao-
tLrers In the west II Is hard to tell
whether Mr.. Nelson is a student whose fad
Is business, or a remarkably clear-headed
business man whose fad is books. He Is q
free trader and a firm believer In the fni-
tiative and referendum, and an enthusiast
on the subject OF a single tax. To his mind
but one greater book was ever written than
Progress and Poverty" and that book A
Henry Georges Protection and Free
Trade"
Mr.. Nelson and Mr.. Cobb are cron,es ana
when the subject Of running for Congress
was preached to the former he positively
refused to do anything that would leopard
the latters political fortunes After the
nrst Cobo destination. Mr.. Nelson agreed
that IL call OF respectable length were
presented TO him he would offer himself to
| succeed his friend. Within a week he
was startled by the presentation Of q
peution containing the names OF 1000
voters in the twelfth asking him TO run.
de agreed TO do so. and has just announced
that no matter what course the democratic
field. A 'Ae
This means a great deal to the democrat tic
party. for the reason that II is well known
MI. Nelson's vote viii be drawn almost en-
tireiy from that organization. In fact, hum
dreds OF the sgners Of the Nelson petition
are democrats. II Nelson and Cobb both
run II will surely result In the election of
a protectionist.
Mr.: Nelson viii probably spend more
money legitimately than any other candi-
date that ever ran for Office He has al
ready rented rooms and begun an ACTIVE
propaganda. His headquarters looks Ike
an immense workshop. His business in
lie I'll Rlx.z l.-
with which this temporary enterprise runs.
Tons OF literature will be sent out. Mr. Nell
son mas Tor ten years conducted his great
business interests on the cooperative plan.
Opposition to ME-. Heard.
II VIII surprise a great many people in
the east to learn that a serious effort "A
being made TO Gust John T. Heard IN the
eighth Missouri district As chairman of
the committee on District OF Columbia AZ
fairs Mr.. Heard is especially well known
In Washington. where. according to the re-
ports received at Sedalia, his residence he
Is very popular. And IL Is this very popular
lily that may result In his own undoing.
II Is being used against him by those who
declare that Washington is his home and
that ne Is to ell intents and purposes .
Observation-Disclosures he is virtually mayor
or the national capital In an uncertain
year like this, Mr.. Heard and his friends
feel that the charge of non-residence is q
y,
to that he must face the fact that more
than one Missouri democrat of the district
Is OF the opinion that he has served long
enough.
Beside all this he has for an armament
the most adroit politician In the state
Col John p. Tracy, who has been nomf-
mated by the republicans Is a head and
shoulders above any other Missourian, when
II comes to getting In among the voters
and influencing them He makes a stump
speech that Is unexcelled; he sings cam
paign songs at barbecucs in a voice that
can almost be heard from one end OF the
district to the other: he shakes hands with
a grip that means remembrance IL not q
local application of lineament to take the
ache out. and he kisses babies without re-
gard to race. color or previous condition OF
the upper lip II bodies no good for Mr..
Heard's 1900 plurality. secured two years
ago. that Mr.. Tracy takes himself and his
canvass seriously. believing firmly that he
Will occupy a seat In the next House
In Mr.. Bland's District.
Richard p. Bland is probably the least
exercised over the outcome OF his canvass
OF any man with opposition In America
The great silver advocate 10 to some ex-
tent a fatalist. and he believes no less In
his mission and the ultimate vindication
of his theories than Napoleon believed in
his destiny and the ultimate segregation Of
every state that opposed him. BANDS SUI
n
anchor OF democratic hopes and aspira-
lions In every county of the district. He
never fails to Gerry through a long shot or
two of each local ticket, and Il is natural
ly expected that he will do so this year.
The opposition to Hatch OF the first comes
mainly from his own party. and IL Il could
crystalize around one man, Mr. Hatch
would be retired In short order. The trou-
BILE is that one cannot go into any county
seat in Mr.. Hatch's dit trict and throw a
stone without endangering the anatomy OF
some congressional aspirant. They are as
thick as birds around a country school
house. The chief opposition TO Mr. Hatch
is therefore not based upon very rational
grounds. However, as Mr.. Hatch has Sc
cured the nomination he will likely be
elects ID, as the district Is democratic.
There have been a large number OF DEM
ocratic politicians In st. Louis this week.
ostensibly to attend the state fair, which
is now being held. Their headquarters 10
at the Laclede Hotel, where all kinds OF
politics is being discussed at all hours OF
the day or night Vests opening gun at
Kansas City was well received by them.
They are much relieved to note that he
did not attack President Cleveland. II he
had done so Il would have meant an in
slant grouping OF factions in Missouri and
a bitter family quarrel disastrous to many
county tickets. The relish with which they
receive his silence on this subject shows
how glad they are that he did not let his
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