The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-02-23
MORRILL, A MINORITY MAN.

being put forth for the denomination o.
Morrill, and for the Endorsement OF hi
administration. by bis friends. support
ers and beneficiaries, become simply
pathetic. These urge that his admins
tTation, from business standpoint
is clean and free Of scandal, and tha
even in the communities which have
financially suffered because Of his at
tempted enforcement Of the prOAibitOry
law, the police commissions were 70
specively named by ministers and
good temperance people, while the Pre-
hibitionists in the cities in which there
have been no raids persistently refused
to name like commissioners, otherwise
all towns would have been served alike,
and. that therefore, the friends of the
law, of al others. should accord Nor
rill their heariest sympathy and sup
| port.
All this Is pitiful but we undertake
! to say that Morrill, has been controlled
! in this last named particular mostly
! by men who do not vote the Republican
+ ticket. Governor Morrill, was elected
/ as tht nominee Of the Republican party
and by Republican votes, upon a plat
years distiactively relegated the re
spOnSibility for the enforcement OF the
pTohibitOry1 Jaw, together with all other
laws, to the people, not so much as even
referring to it, thereby declining TO be
its sponsor and refusing any pledge for
its enforcement. Morrill, could not
have been elected on an old time pro-
hibition platform. He knew it. as did
the convention which nominated him.
He was elected on the distinct promise
and declaration that the prohibition
law was 40 more sacred, no more q Re
publican doctrine than any other law
upon the statute book. His admins
tration was TO be a business rule. along
Republican lines, and not a law and
order. nor third party prohibition, nor
an all around arraignment for every
man In the state who happened to be-
Ieye that there is but one law worthy
a moments consideration or anxiety.
Morrill, instead of living up TO his own
platform, upon which he was elected.
stepped over on to the third party pro-
hibition platform, thereby forcing the
abandoned plank OF his own platform
into an issue, the settlement OF which
either one way o. other and in any
event, will cost the party thousands OF
the votes which were p0lled for him
last November year,
No man is more sorry than the writer
for all this. but despite all these pitiful
pleadings Of his friends and benefciar-
les for an Endorsement IN the way OF
a denomination. Governor Morrill,, with
his eyes wide open, and In defiance Of
the pleadings and protests Of men who
never voted any but Republican
ticket listened only to the counSels of
men who care little fer any party, thus
putting himself in hole and pulling
his party into it also,
1t may be true, as his friends claim,
and as we are inclined to concede,
that he can through his administrative
holdings and the sway of the party
machine force his denomination. but
that the enthusiasm and p3rtiSanShip
Of a national campaign viii be equal
to carrying him through at the polls we
are not convinced.
But yesterday we noted the intima-
ton, IN 4 paper which has been defend |
ing the governors raid on Wichita, !
and his capitula ton III Leavenworth |
and AtchiSon. that the ministers and |
the leaders of the State Temperance |
union, which were accounted a host, |
would be for him and with him, with |
out regard to their party predictions. |
Such proposition is but a broken reed. |
There is nothing to 1t. The factions |
named are strong in their way we ad- |
nit, but not politically strong in a
national campaign. Having more |
time to talk than the business man
they have held MOrrill'S ear, but their |
ballot is no heavier than his whose bus
mess has been hurt, and whose taxes
have been increased by MOrrilrs unex-
pected and forced issue Besides these
factors, these unions and leagues. they |
are made up Of men of all parties.
agreeing but as to one thing, and that
one thing is the thing which was knock
ed out Of the Republican platform upon
which Morrill, was so riumphantly /
elected. Indeed we would not be sur
priSed to see the prohibition convention
Of the State Temperance union, called
for Topeka on March third. turn about !
and rend Morrill,, all of whose troubles
as governor have come through his at
Jempts TO serve and conciliate them in
one single particular, instead of re-
1eeming his pledges TO his party and |
10y his platform.
We. therefore, are convinced that il
IS mistake for any Republican paper
10 urge the denomination of Morrill,, or
to encourage him in the employing of
llS power 10 enforce such IN indorse-
nent As denomination would seem 10
larry. Unless something occurs. and
L VIII have to be radical and sweeping.
ma at his own hands. We doubt the
possibility of his reelection. especially
n the event of 4 fusion of the opposi-
non on reSubmiSsion. free silver plat
form, or even on a platform ignoring
he prohibition question altogether.
should Morrill, be renominaled we be-
leve We can name SIX counties in
which his loss Of Republican votes
would more than equal his majority
'Fer LeWelins- But this disafacrion