The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-16


Few Moments While it Leaves the
Highway to Chase Mr.. Virgil M. Hobbs
Into the Thick Brush of His Own Blum
dsr.-uow the MulhaiI Affair Was Diis-
managed and What should Have Been
Made eft.
Guthrie, o. T., Oct. 15.-The Guthrie
Leader, Rev. j. L. Cauahans cam
oaign organ, is out in an editorial IN
which it denounces Chairman Virgil Nj.
Hobbs, CaIlahan's campaign manager.
The opposition to Dennis Flynn IS palpa-
bIv and VIGOROUSLY demoralized. The
Leaders editorial scores Mr.. Hobbs as
3 follows:
Considering the matter in cool, ur-
prejudIoed light, all Democrats and Pop
nlists who have at heart the welrare
md success Of the bimetalic cause, Will
,oncede that the candidacy Of Hon. j.
z. Callahan was dampened more within
me hour at Mulhall on Monday by
Dhairn-n Virgil NJ. Hobbs than could
ne done ,y a horde of ravenous RepuD-
acans in the same length OF time. Inc
result of the MuIhan meeting unerrmgly
shows that there is such thing as 100
much managerial 'astutenesS'-too much
imperial domineer bcsS;sm. Although
the Leader does not charge Chairman
Hobbs, with nursing a burning desire to
strap the entire weight of territorial
campaign to his sinewy frame, yet when
one surveys tine mass OF documents,
signed, sealed and delivered by Mr..
Hobbs during momentous occasions. one
IS inclined to believe that he wishes TO
effectuaI1y oversfTadow the candidate
whose cause he is supposed 10 represent
and further.
AN GORGEOUS BLUNDER.
THAT Chairman Hobbs committed an
srregious blunder at Mulhall on Mon
day, no sane person will deny-in TACT.
he committed two of them and seemed
to be wading between Scylla and Char
bids while comforting with confessedly
designing but Quick-witted Republicans.
The Leader takes issue with other
loyal free silver advocates, who ques-
ton the prudence and foresight of Mr..
Callahan in invading a Republican
meeting where it was a ten-to-one shot
that he would not receive fair and can
did treatment Mr.. Callahan was wholly
justified in t&is course, since Republic
cans had thrown out threats TO the eff
feet that he was timid and afraid to
meet Flynn in debate. and moreover,
since the Republicans had secured their
crowds by coupling Callahan's name
with FTynn's and advertising pros
pective joint debate.
HOBBS STUPIDITY.
1.-The blunder lay in the stupidity Of
Hobbs, who, ignoring the appeals Of
Mr.. Callahan himself and his right
handed man, Leo Vincent, refused point
blank TO allow the free silver candidate
to accept the challenge of the Flynn man
ayers. Despite the fact that the con-
ditions and time imposed by Chairman
Grimes were unreasonable and that
the 'half-hour' clause in Grimes last
letter was merely a bait thrown out in
order to give Flynn an opportunity to
make a personal attack upon Callahan,
Mr.. Callahan should have been allowed
at least to ascend the platform. That
the meeting was packed and that plan
had been evolved TO flush the meeting
twenty minutes after Callahan began
speaking, is well known. But even had
he been howled down the result would
have been more satisfactory to Demo-
Gratis and Populists than the reading Of
q hastily written creed from King
HOODS bearing the foolish intelligence
that our correspondence is ended and
that the press and people will Judge as to
the good faith of Mr.. Flynn as a Repub-
loan candidate
DON'T CARE A DARN.
"The press and the people don't care
q continental darn about the good faith
of Mr.. Flynn or any of his hooting CO.
horts. Flynn has no faith. What the
people would like to have seen was a
call of Flynn's bluff. And had Hobbs
kept his 10y mits off the transaction the
bluff would certainly have been called.
Mr.. Callahan was willing and anxious
to meet Mr.. Flynn. but rather than
bolt the action of his campaign mama
gers. he resolutely declined % accede to
the earnest wishes of many Personal and
political friends. To have been hooted
down by a gang of maudlin dockwollcp-
ers on the platform of his opponent and
with the opponent present would have
been all the proof of 'Flynn's faith the
people desired. 1t would have proven
on honor-a reward to be doubled and
twice doubled every minute and every
hour from now until election day. It
would have simply been reproduction
of Bryan among the toughs al Yale col
lege, and Callahan, like Bryan, would
now be hasking in the acclaims Of an
enIaged populece.
MISPLACED CONFIDENCE.
Notwithstanding the boasts Of Re-
publicans, Callahan lost nothing at Null
han. He was simply the victim of mis-
placed confidence. He was Probably
no more to blame for Hobbs unaccouut-
able actions. than Vincent is TO blame
for the crudities in Hobbs last lester to
Grimes. wherein he makes a statement
Which. although, truthful, is so ill-con-
suucted that almost any Interpretation
may be placed upon IT. In saying that
free homes is not an issue in this terri
tory, Hobbs stated nothing but the
cold unvarnished truth, but in COUGHING
the sentence in such words he imme-
diatefy threw down Mr.. Callahan's
breastworks and, momentarily, placed
Callahan IN line for dealy assault by the
enemy.
THAT Is, NOT PARTISAN.
''of course the question OF free homes
rs not a partisan issue and has never
been considered as such. The three
parties in Oklahoma have been sn hapDv
and harmonious accord on this subject.
and every true and loyal citizen Of the
territory earnestly looks forward to ire
time when the free homes measure now
In congress may become a law. Already
during the present campaign Mr.. Gala
nan has spoken as sincerely and vigor-
ouSly IN advocacy of free homes as Mr..