The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-30
DEFENDS h MACHINE
Senator Dumont Smith Shows
Work 1t Has Done.
JOE HUDSON CALLED DOWN
0dious Comparisons Made for
the Topeka Man.
JOE HUDSON CALLED DOWN


kinds of politics. The general has been
standing up for the Shawnee county
Rand, where, he says there are no
bosses. the home of the boss busters.
Senator Smith is an exponent of the Sew
enth district system. A short time ago
the senator wrote testing article to the
effect that IL was not the Topeka politi-
clans. but the Topeka papers. that were
i.ysterical. The general took this as an
affront TO Topeka. and replied He took
the position that Topeka was the best
town on eartn, that the Topeka papers re-
nected the opinion of Topeka, attacked
the Seventh district for its hoggishness
a the political pie counter and compared
Republican maJorities in Shawnee county
whit those in the Seventh district coun-
ties to show that Topekas system Of
handling politics was more wholesome
and effective from a party standpoint.
Senator Smith has just replied to this.
He admits Topeka is fine town, that the
papers there suit the people because the
people seldom see first class paper like
the Mercury the senator's paper; ques-
tons whether the general has the right
10 jaw anybody for hogging pie. and then
continues:
Fourth the general. as a further and
complete vindication OF the Topeka pa
gers, shows that the Republican majority
in Shawnee county is lightweight times
as large as the Republican majority in
Edwards. forty-f times as large as
the majority in Barber. and finally Sc
lects thirty-four OF the rhirty-seven coun-
ties in the Seventh district and shows
that their combined majorities are only
1000 greater than that of Shawnee.
And the general concludes this branch
of his article thus:
Do you see the point, Senator Smith
What is the matter with the politics of
your Seventh district? Is il your style of
Journalism or is is the disreputable meth
DDS of your machine that is run TO COB
BILE all in sight regardless? Don't be
hasty. Take your time and let US know,
SENATOR
Here is an issue fairly presented by a
brilliant writer, and il represents To-
pekas old, old contention with the Sew
enth district. 1t is that machine politics
and a low range of journalism have
brought Seventh district Republicanism
to the verge of ruin while the absence
of machine and the lofty tone of the
Topeka papers have made and kept Shaw
nee county stronghold of Republican
ism, pure and undefiled unwaverng and
changeless as the stars.
This question of majorities is an in
teresting one. 1t repays careful study and
we are delighted to enter upon it's fas-
cinating and convincing statistics with
so able a pupil as the general. We say
pupil, because his article clearly shows
that he is still in the kindergarten in
this fundamental branch of political sci
ence and he will derive much benefit
from a careful study of the figures we
shall present.
AT the outset, if we wanted to be mean
! and ornery, We might make a COMPARE
son of Shawnee county. the home of the
boss busters. with Doniphan county. the
home of the boss the very seat and
! throne of machine politics
! We might show that in 1888. at the
height OF Republican power Doniphan
county polled per cent of the total
/ vote Of the county and Shawnee county
! Republicans 70 per cent. In 1896, when
/ the state. after years Of hard times, went
! wild over free silver. Shawnee polled but
/ 81 per cent of the total vote, its ma jor-
/ ity fell to l.4ie and the enemy almost
captured II. and in that year Doniphan,
under the leadership of the boss, polled
its regular So per cent of the total vote
and even increased Its Republican major
/ ity little Even in this banner year NJ
1892. a year OF unparalleled Republican
majoriies. Shawnee has not yet returned
10 its showing of lsSS. and the Repub,i-
cans got but 50 per cent of the total
while Doniphan Republicans quietly and
without any Dragging polled a per cent
Of the total vote, increased their major
ity and their percentage over 1883. This
would be unkind. although a complete
answer to the Herald's contention. But
the contention. the issue made. is be
tween Shawnee county and the Seventh
district Let us look at it. ID TO 1885,
the Republicans Of the Seventh. and oi
Shawnee county alike had a pretty easy
time. There was no necessity for organ
zation or a hard fight. Everything was
Republican. and up TO and including $50
the earlier generation. we may say, tina
fought the civil war. run things. and Gen
eral Hudson was past OF that genera
ton. and none had more TO do with tn.
running than he. Yet in 1890 the major
! lily in Shawnee county Sagged away down
the Seventh district gave Jerry Simpson
800 majority and practically every coun
ty in the district was carried by the OF
position. Was that the fault of the Lon,
machine. general. That machine wa
| he. NJ -,
conspicuous figure in local politics Nor
-.lhaugn. was not even in control in HI
own county. Billy Morgan did not liv
in the district orie Morse was runnin;
for sheriff of Sumner county Andy Rich
ards was prscticing law and the Who'll
Long machine was Yet 10 be conceived
But in 1909 We nominated Mr. Lon
for congress. nominated him against tn
most hopeless odds. amid conditions tha
, forbade success and insured defeat Z
advance. a little circle OF young Repub
, leans who had never controlled any
thing before took charge because the oil
order had passed. the older leaders ha
lsmentably failed and had surrendere
control. Then began the most gallau
fight that the politics OF this state Ia
ever seen Year after year the skies wer
: brass. and the crops failed. We sa'
/ crop failures and low prices cornbi1eS
| thousands left the state. Republican
turned Populist and county after cour
| " cleared its cour; house % Repuhlscas
D and the opposition filled every Office
$ | OF power OF enoiunent. II was checl
| less. uphill .-ght- once only. in 1884. va
/: there little eiean OF hope but the nes
campaign or Isss saw conditions wors
than ever. ard Jerry Simpson carrie