The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-07
MAJOR MoRRILL's MIDDLE.

One of the most eXcruciating Situa-
tons, politically. ever occurring in the
phenomenally funny prohibition poll
tics of Kansas, is that which now
confronts the Republican party and the
present state administration. The Re
publican party has been the prohibi-
ton party of Kansas. The Prohibi-
ton party, proper, has been, and is
| the enemy Of the Republican party.
ever seeking by its organization and
votes TO defeat it. But the RepubI-
can party is not constituted Of Pr0hi-
| bitiOnists, either in theory or in fact.
A large and Influential minority of the
party are utterly opposed to prohibit
ton as a party policy, as well as OPP
posed TO it on principle. Governor
Morrill, having been elected by the
united support Of both these wings,
| conceived the idea of giving the state
an administration which should con-
slider the demands and wishes of both
these very opposite elements. he
started cut to give Topeka the kind of
prohibition demanded by her contrOll-
ing spirits, and Leayenworth, Atchi-
son, Kansas City and Wichita, re-
might have worked we'll had he stood
by his original idea But he didn't
He had reckoned without those whom
afterwards proved to be too much for
him. So he modified his policy so far
as to agree to give his tormentors a
touch Of his real personal prohibition
prOclivities, and thereby hush the
howl, which had become annoying
He had the power to do this This
movement was followed by another
and far more serious howl, serious
from the fact that it came from a class
Of men who run the political primaries
and who are the factors in county and
state conventions.
So far as Morrill's self-invited di-
lemma is concerned the party, even
with the losses he had brought it,
might have come out at the top of the |
heap, next fall, were he, Major Nor
rill, individually, eliminated. But hav-
ing swiped his original conservative |
policy with an ultra onslaught, and |
then later attempted covering the |
whole situation over with the Goth |
ennberg compromise, he is left with |
both wings of his party arrayed against |
him. This fact not only threate the |
tenure of the other state officers but
jeOpardiZes the entire Republican sit
uatiOn in Kansas. We have therefore
the spectacle of his whole political
family declaring that he will not be
a candidate for denomination, and him.
self stoutly maintaining that he will
be. This leaves the state house crowd.
the state central committee, together
with minor Republican organizations.
and all his appOinteeS, in a profuse
sweat. His denomination threatens
their own defeat. To turn him down.
whether or no, threatens the same
thing. The only way they can see
put Of it is in the declination of Major
Morrill,, who won't decline. He loves
ais party too sincerely, his state too
to desert either in such an
Besides there is the al
most unbroken precedent of q second
lerm. The state house crowd dread,
ilSo, Dawes who will if renominated.
De scratched out of countenance.
Still he is small fry and his candidacy
would not cut SO much of a figure
The state officers are convinced that
Major Morrill, out of the way and asolid
'talwart Republican in his stead, the
icket might sail through, backed as
t Will be by the enthusiasm of a ma
iOnal campaign, and that the legisla-
ure would be all right, with a Repub-
lean succeeding PETER and the Sew
nth congressional district saved.
But Morrill,, they conceive. with
lis majority sentfment- Wichita-exam-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS policy is
lot assuring. Add to this distracting
the demand that the pro- l
libition plank shall be reinSerted in |
he platform, and the political situa-
ion in Kansas is not entirely void of I
lively understanding suggestions