The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-20
POLITICAL
FIGHT BEGINS
IN NEW TOWNS
Governors Proclamation Gail.
ing for Election Expected.
REPUBLICANS WILL WIN"
Such Is Prediction Of RepubIi-
can Citizen at LaWj0n.

Guthrie. o. T, Sept. 19.-The fact tha,
within few days. Governor jenkins viii
issue proclamatons calling for an cleo
ton in the towns of the new country
Lawton. Anadarko and Hobart, ineor-
porating them as cities Of the hrst-class
has given an impetus to politics that will
not soon end. Heretofore the residents
of the growing towns in the new coun-
try have not taken time to talk politics,
so busy have they been in building and
planning for greater things. But after
all, politics. especially in Oklahoma, can
not be far distant from other affairs of
the every day world At thet coming
elections, the party lines viii be strongly
drawn. It cannot be otherwise for the
forces which have been dormant are
awakening and the first clash OF political
arms win be one long to be remembered
A prominent citizen OF Lawton, a Re
publican, was asked to give his ideas
about the matter, and said:
There can be no avoiding 2 hot politi-
cal fight in the new country If the gov
ernor issues q proclamation for election
in three government towns, as it is stated
he viii do. There was a time when the
political feature might have been done
away with N the first election, but that
time has passed. Figuratively speaking,
the gauntlet has been thrown down by
the Democrats and there is nothing now
that the Republicans can consistently do,
but fight and win the first battle Peo-
Via l.
existing conditions, only former residents
Of Oklohcma could vote, and in the first
election citizens Of oter states coming in
at the time of the opening could not ex-
pect TO exercise the right of ballot until
after he six months limit had expired.
Some weeks ago, National Committee
man for Oklahoma William Grimes, came
down from Guthrie and held a conference
with the business men Of the three towns.
These conferences We're held to discuss
matters pertaining to the first election.
After Grimes went back to Guthrie he
gave out suggestions in connection with
the municipal organization of the towns
which contained the result of his tour
of investigation. Mr.. Grimes stated that
after having held a conference with the
business men of the three towns It was
concluded that a spirit or fairness should
predon1inate as far as Republicans from
Oklahoma were concerned and that it
would be bette rto hold a mass meeting;
select good men; let every voting citizen
of the township help name these men
and then let the men entitled to vote
before the six months limit expires go
to the poles and ratify the action Of the
II -. -. -fr-
ical fight would not turn UP at the time
the municipal organization was formed.
To the people of the new country, the
suggestions on the part of Mr.. Grimes
We're pregnant with fairness. For a time
the feeling was prevalent that mass
meetings should be held and a good ticket
selected which the legal voters could rati-
fy at the polls The emocrats, after a
time thought that the advocating of
such a plan on the part of the Republi
cans was a sign Of weakness and that
they feared to contest with the Demo
Gratis. The Democratic press of the new
towns took up the matter. ard since their
challenge there is nothing else for the !
Republicans to do hut prepare for the |
battle which cannot but come.
1T IS my prediction that it viii not be /
q losing fight for the Republican party. |
The ticket which the Republicans nomi- |
nate viii be elected, for we have fighters |
Of the old school who have battled with /
Democrats in Oklahoma for years. After I
an. however. the more conservative bus I
mess men in the towns know that It /
would haveb cen better to have kept poll /
tics out Of the first election and looked 4
closely to the upbuilding OF the towns.
But since it Is too late FOR such plan
this, wish to state again, that the Re
oubiicans VIII successfully carry the day
in the three towns in the new country"