The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-02
PRINCIPALLY PERSONAL.

|
been quoted throughout the state, tC
the effect that Colonel Murdoch eager
ly pledged himself as q gubernatorial
aspirant in 1892 TO enforce the pro
hibitory law at all haards." we have
just this to say: 1t is not true. That
ought to settle it. But it wont.
What are the facts? In the first
place we were in no sense an aspirant
| for the honor. In the second place
our candidacy was an enforced one.
1t came about or was inspired by three
things, one being MurdocSs Rebellion
against the ring rule in the state; an
other being our demand for ReSubmis-
sion, and the last our fight against the
Missouri River Traffic Trust which in
| discriminating against all possible COM
mercial aspirations for interior Kan
sas was running Wichita. The great
majority of the voters who elected
Lewelling governor were with lis on
the first proposition; the peoples of
Kansas City, Kansas, Leavenworth
and AtchiSon were with us on the
second suggestion, and the big towns of
interior Kansas, including Salina,
| Hutchinson, Arkansas City, yelling
| ton, Winfield and Wich'ta were with
us on the thir' 1emanu. Altogether,
the sentiments combined, forced our
candidacy, and had we been nomi-
mated we would have been elected by
en- overwhelming majority. There
would have been a sufficient number
of votes saved to the Republican party
in the Seventh congressional district
alone to have defeated our distinguished
fellow townsman, who was elected
governor.
But the dominating ring OF the party,
which includes the present honorable
state printer and the governor of to
day, as also the Farmer candidate, who
was defeated in that campaign,
wouldn't have it, and as bosses and not
the people run parties we returned
home very happy man, proud of our
friends and particularly proud Of Wich-
ita, proud and happy in spite Of the
fact that convention of 700 men, OF
q party and state which we had served
all our life to the best Of our poor and
humble abilities, went out Of their way
to heap upon US and our honorable
delegates an insult the like of which
stands unparalleled, such an insult as
caused close friends to shed tears of
Indignation and humiliation. Nor
rill, hoping for his chances in the fu-
ture, swallowed his part of the in
suit and crawished back into the good
graces of his enemies, while the Cap
ital came out with an apology for the
crowd whom the people, in their con-
tempt, sunk with its boosted Republic
can majority of 10000, out of sight.
Now as to that "eager prohibition
pledge" and the platform of that year,
said to have been inspired by US. We
were approached by just two delega-
tons on that question. Both were
made up of preachers and extreme
prohibitory delegates, and both meet
ingS occurred in parlOr Sc of the Cope |
land hotel. We said TO each that a |
law of that character was extremely |
difficult if not impossible Of enforce |
ment in any community where the ma
jority sentiment was against it-NIor-
rill was not the first man but the last |
to declare that truth-but that such |
cities as came under the police COM
mission law whose people desired its |
enforcement might rest assured that |
they would have such commissions as
they desired, laugbingly adding that
we thought we could do as well as
Humphrey had in Wichita, or Martin
IN AtchiSon and Leavenworth. and |
closing Us saying that Topeka should
have it in both letter and spirit TO its
hearts content Having the prelin-
mary organization in our own hands
and realizing that the Morrill, forces
could not, and that the ring forces
would not permit our nomination. be-
cause Of our well-known attitude on
ReSubmisSion and On the state house
ring we acknowledge to the crime of
suggesting that the platform be made
very radical on prohibition; but the
committee. being afraid. a stradtlle re-
suited, although straddle as it was. il
was stronger in terms than the party
dared venture, with Morrill, as a can
didate. last year. and who could rot
have been elected had there been =
prohibition plank in the platform. but
who now, il seems, has been convinced
10y the Topeka crowd and the old ring
remnants that majorities count for
nothing. and that local officers can be
found 10 do just what they were elect
cd not to do.
The Eagle was with the great ma
jority Of the people Of this state in
1897. as it IS with them today. on
every leading public question. So,
80 on with Your lies: if We can't out
live them, we can die trying.