The Globe-republican., 1903-04-16
Regarding the Great Bend convention

State Chairman Albaugh says IN bis pa
per, the Kingman Leader: ''Victor Muir
dock of Wichita was nominated for Con
gress In this district at the Great Bend
convention on the first formal ballot.
The Topeka and Kansas City papers have
been very busy telling how 1t was done
and il they are to be believed, Dave Null.
vane came down from Topeka and with
the assistance of Fred Smith, made the
nominee. The fact Is that Mulvane had
Just about as much to do with Murdock's
nomination as a toad that might have
been on the rail, would have had to do
with the recent Santa Re wreck at Strong
City. The Great Bend convention WAS
composed of one hundred and nincty.oue
delegates Fully one hundred aud sew
enty of these were friends of Mr.. Long
and of the old organization in the dist
riot. These friends Of Mr.. Long and the
old organization made no effort to center
upon any one candidate. They wanted
to promote good feeling and harmony In
the convention, so there would not be
any necessity for campaign, in order to
secure an overwhelming majority for the
nominee. 1t made no difference 10 them
which Of dozen candidates before that
convention was nominated. Each as
rule championed his local favorte. 1t
became evident after the delegates as
smbled that Victor Murdoch was the
second choice Of a very large number of
them. 1t did not take one versel in pol +
ilics to ascertain this situation. The
most casual observer mixing in the
crowd could easily tell before The con-
vention assembled that Mr.. Murdock's
nomination was a certainty. The COM
ponent parts of the old organization,
when their local candidates were out of
the way, were almost without exception
for Mr.. Murdoch. lie had been part
of that organization, in fact an import
ant part of it, His acquaintanceship
with the members of 1t WAS general and
his efforts year in and year out for ten
years past to assist Mr. Long and the t
Fliends of Mr., Long in the district made /
lim a particular fayorlte with The Long i
organization, which was only handl- '
capped by the candidates. of other mem- h
GERS of the old organization. Mulvane /
Induced Banta of Barton county to make
he break on the first formal ballot with
lie Barton county delegation to Murdoch.
The delegation from Barton county was l
n fact for Murdoch. Neither Banta nor a
IIulvane bad anything to do with max n
ng them so, but Banta being the coun- e.
US local candidate and Mulvane having II
influence with him, 1t is fair to say that
hese two gentlemen did have something ~
0 do as to the time when Barton county |
houId make the break. The act did not
make any surer Murdock's nomination.
changed the time of it but few min
ties. 1t IN no way made different the u
NAL outcome of the convention, but Mr..
iulyane is particularly fortunate in prac-
ically owning through the Mulvanc bank :.
t Topeka, newspaper, and in having II
luCh to DO with the news columns OF
theirs, and the people of the state have !
cen led to believe that he, resident of
'opeka, a man with no interests In the
lslrct, directly or indirectly, made the
omlnce. The delegates to the couven- al
on know differently and fortunately Ill
Iey will be on hand in their respective
,unties to get out The Republican vote Q OF
, usual aud make Mr.. Murdock'S ma ~
,riiy a credit to himself and The district" M