The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-11-23
Missouri Republicans Hide in the
Bush Until Roosevelt Decides
Appraiser Smiths Case.
HOUSER GOES TO WASHINGTON.
Congressman BarthOldt Finds His
Recent Speech Is Premature
Kerens Men Express Conf
dencc of Success.

"If we only knew whether Charley Smith
would be reappointed Surveyor of the
Port" remarked a Republican Yesterday.
lit would not take us ten seconds to come
out of the brush.
IF Smith fails. then Atkins is the best
chairman that the State Committee ever
had. If not, Kerens is the most unselfsh
party leader that Missouri has ever pro-
duced. But until President Roosevelt gives
us the tip on the Smith Boyd appointment
most of us are attending strictly to our
private business
The foregoing may be taken as a cor
rect summary of the feelings of the Mis-
souri, Republicans pending information from
Washington. one development yesterday
gave a great deal of satisfaction to the
Hitchcock element d. NJ. Houser was
known To be on his way to Washington,
where he WIZ. confer with the President.
Also Congressman Bartholdt departed last
night TO join Congressman Joy, Charles
Nagel and others now known as daily cali
ers at the White House.
We feel confident of the Globe-Demo-
Gratis support" said a member of the st.
Louis Republican Club yesterday. I'VE
think that the paper will remove its I
concur Endorsement from Smiths apDlica-
that this would be done. and although we
had a hard time during the first days Of
the week putting sufficient backbone into
this ally. We feel confident that our patent
medicine will do the work
Its just this way: The Globe has stood
in with Gne old Ziegenhein crowd so long
that the decent element in the party has
all but become disgusted. This giving ev-
erythng a Ziegenheln color has done the
party good. Yet. the paper could do
nothing else while staying with kerens.
But. loaded with spoils as it is the Globe
has a hankering to be decent, and the only
way this condition can be reached is for
the paper TO get in line with the faction
that is supporting Secretary Hitchcock
BarthOIdt's speech Was Premature.
Congressman Bartholdt spent a busy two
days in St. Louis preceding his departure
for Washington. He discovered that his
speech at the St. Louis Republican Club
was premature. After giving out the I'm
formation that the Congressman would
share in the distribution of patronage he
discovered that Mr.. kerens was very much
alive in Washington. For that reason he
spent the greater part of the time getting
signatures to kilograms indorsing Boyd
and condemning Smith. He pulled every
string known to himself or his lieutenants
The result was perfect avalanche of tele-
grams In Washington.
Both sides are agreed on the wisdom of
the Hitchcock forces in centering their fire
on Smith. Absolutely no other appointment
has been considered to date. Smith. as the
private secretary of r. G. kerens, is the
bulwark of the national committeemans
strength. The State chairman realized that
IL Smith could be downed the Republican
workers who are now undecided about align
ing themselves will Immediately jump into
the Hitchcock wagon.
1t would be impossible to eXaggerate the
ill feeling that has been aroused among the
active participants in the factional fight.
AdherentS of either faction are Doasting
what they will do If the President decides
IN their favor. If Kerens wins, the Atkins
forces predict that there will be a rigid
application OF the efficiency and morality
rule, which will clean out the Federal build
ing. On the other hand, the Kerens men
make some decidedly warm comments on
the actions of the two Republican Congress
men. intimating that their defeat for re-
nomination is a foregone conclusion if they
lose the present fight.
kerens Men Are Confident.
And We believe that We will win" re-
marked a Kerens Republican yesterday:
You don't suppose that the Colonel would
have made a no-compromise declaration If
he thought that there was a chance of los
ing, do you? And 1t was only a week ago
had a cinch. Say, you never heard of an
Irishman acknowledging that he was beaten
and Colonel kerens has the genuine Irish
blood in his veins.
las fer the charge that Smith is RESPONSE
ble for the three bolting Republican MEM
bers in the Legislature of 1S.9-thcrc'S moth
ing in it. True enough they bolted, but
Smith was not to blame. He refused 10 re-
employ one of them when ne returned from
jefferson City. They bolted on their indi-
v.Gual initiative. That was their business,
and they took pains to keep it their own
business. No. We don't want to assume re-
sponsibility for that bolt
Whichever way this fight ends the Mer-
chants League Club will profit by an in
creased membership who will want TO get
even. There will ba the prettiest primary
scrap between the HOodums and the Silks
that you ever saw. We will make the st.
Louis Republican Club look like 30 cents
We will name the ticket that is put up
next election or know the reason why"
Sending Charles Nagel to Washington is
considered a wise move by disinterested OBJ
servers. He collected the Sl20O0 required for
Horizons contest proceedings and is thor
orghly conversant with the alleged deal in
the Twelfth District. As a friend of the
President. his word il considered as bearing
more than ordinary weight.