The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-11
gaA11J - Ea9H
Nj. VI. MURDOCH. Editor.
esrANLEY,s CANDIDACY"


wuld probably better be let &c
for what it might be worth, without a
reproduction or comment. But it GER
tainly makes one thing clear, and that
is that Stanley is not the political fool
that George L. Douglass was. George
Douglass, after much hesitancy and
long deliberation, joined the crowd that
had resolved among other things to
down the Eagle, which was simply and
honestly representing the majority SEN
timent of this community in that par
ticularly memorable campaign" re-
ferred to in the communication to the
Capital, and out of which sprang the
"Tiger Bill" hiatus, along with the
costly whisky war" which was orig
inaIly precipitated by an editorial in
the Eagle defending Wichita and her
people against an onslaught made up
on their good name by Rev. Don S.
Colt, at a state temperance gathering,
or something of the character, held at
Topeka. Colt, after the appearance Of
the Eagles defense of Wichita, declar-
ed war. saying that he would make it
the fight of his life, and with the re-
suit go up or down" He went down.
Rev. Winters joined him, asserting in
effect that the Eagle must be pulled off
its perch or he would leave the town.
He left the town. We stand ready to
prove the correctness of these declara-
tons if it should become necessary The
threats Of a couple or three other min
listers could be given in the same con-
nection. But they are gone, also, and
therefore, wherefore? The point we
would make is that Mr.. Douglass with
all his consuming political ambition
and smartness, didn't know enough to
choose wisely as between two Wichita
crowds with which to train. We per-
sonally and in a friendly way warned
him, as we did our friend Colt, of the
stand that would be taken by the
Eagle in the event Of their making the
threatened fight We, with Colonel
Lewis, concede the bravery of Geo. L.
Douglass, but in a like connection We
concede the pluck of the bull that faced
the engine. It was not a question of
courage but of discretion. Douglass,
however, would not have essayed the
leadership of that Auditorium meet
ing" had he not thought it meant
money and meat, and what not, to him.
He lacked political accumen. He had
concluded that the better part of the
community, including a majority of
the church people, would not dare go
back on the war inaugurated by their
preachers. But they did. SO much for
Douglass and the crowd which cham
pioned him, but could not sustain him,
one of which crowd was, evidently, Col.
Lewis, but another of whom, seeming
ly, was not Mr.. Stanley. So far as the
complaint of Col. Lewis is concerned,
discount" the declaration of the Capt.
tai, knowing it to be absolutely I'M
true he makes himself ridiculous, to
use no harsher term. The Auditorium
meeting" was not mentioned. The Cap
ital simply stated that Stanley spoke
at law and order meeting" Law
and order meetings. were VIGOROUSLY
numerous, at least they were reported
10 be so, during these times, and we
were afraid to deny, not knowing but
that Stanley had been caught unaware
at some one of them. If he really took
no part one way or the other, the more
is due his mother wit and good sense
The whole effort of Col Lewis letter
Is to discredit Mr.. Stanley's character
that is, as law and order meeting
people measure character, Mr.. Geo. l.
Douglass being their accepted stand
ard. All that the Eagle said of Mr.
Stanley and his candidacy it believed.
1t was true, every word of it. The peo-
pie of Wichita not only, but those Of
the surrounding cities and counties of
this section, know that what the Eagle
said of him is true. Col Lewis nor the
members Of the law and order league
dare assert to the contrary. Back hand
ed jahs in the rear, through a Topeka
paper that hates Wichita, don't, there
fore, count In addition to all that we
then said, we now add that Mr.. Stan
ley is also a Christian, a temperance
man and a gentleman, and we defy the
law and order crowd to prove to the
contrary. They shouldn't want to.
What more they. or the Prohibition
lists" for whom Col. Lewis assumes to
speak, can desire or ask in a candidate
for a position in which all the people
of the state are concerned and interest
ed, without regard To sect, sex, nation
ality or convictions, religious or politi-
cal, we cannot conceive. 1t is true he
is neither the hypocrite that Geo. /.
Douglass was, nor is he fanaticaL 4
fanatic can neither be nominated or
elected governor Of Kansas by the Re
publican party. The last man OF that
stripe to fill that position was John 2.
St. John. There viii never be another.
Therefore convinced, and as we still
are. that prohibition" would not be
the issue for the next Republican cam
paign in this state, believing that the
word would not SO much as appear in
the platform, we did not think Of saying
anything one way or the other about
prohibition in our announcement Of Mr..
Stanley's candidacy. and we never
thought Of consulting him or any one
else touching such a proposition We