Evening star., 1903-07-02
VICTORY FOR RED HAIR.
Organization Of "sorrel Tops" Sent
> Victor Murdoch to Congress.

V1CLOT "uIUOCA " SoAA6A
wichita fKan.) Correspondence New York Herald
Victor Murdock Of this place. republican
was elected to Congress in this district Vhe
seventh last week by an overWheiming
plurality over c. F. Clyne. democrat aHa
Judge W. ]. Babb, populist. The elecuoh
was to fill the vacancy caused by the res
ienation of Chester I. Long. who was elect
ed to the United States Senate. The issue
which Murdock forced to the front In MS
campaign was one not mentioned In any
state or national platform ever written
that Of red hair. His fight for election was
carried on by an organization which has
been dubbed 1.-The Short Grass League OF
Red Heads" Two months ago. when Rep
resentative Long was transferred 10 tne
Senate, twenty men announced themselves
as candidates to succeed him. TWO OF them
State Senator Fred. Dumont Smltn anu
Victor Murdock-had red hair.
Victor Murdock was attending the leg1s-
lature for the Wichita Eagle. OF Wh1ch ne
was managing editor, and a warm Ir1enu-
shin existed between him and Smith, who
was, geographically, the strongest canoi-
date in the race for Congress The HELD
with the exception Of Murdock, was nght-
ing Smith. ,s,,
One night, In q JOCuidr iiaOoo' 1AAu' o"ei>
.Smith. do you know that the red-headed
men of this county have never been fairly
treated! NOtWllUSldHOhH6 ShO AASS ~AHU~
ten out of every one hundred Americans
have red hair. we have never had red.
headed President since the time OF Inomas
Jefferson. We must organize
And they did organize. Next day STnltn
announced in the lobby of the principal
| hotel at Topeka that the next representa-
tive from the seventh district must nave
red hair. The political experts eApto'tso s ts'a
seventh district, regardless OF politics or
pretudices, took the matter semi seriously
and became enthusiastic over 1t. AS the
campaign progressed Murdock's chance De-
! came bright. Every red-headed republican
| in the district worked strenuousiy to De
4 made a delegate, and when the convention
met at Great Bend on April gooo ~ per
cent Of Its members had red hair. ana one
of the most remarkable things in the his
tory Of Kansas politics occurred Muroock
| was nominated on the first ballot against
| nineteen other candidates.
/ To show his recognition OF the men who
4 he felt had brought about his nomination
Mr. Murdock's hrst act was the designation
| of Judge Thomas CO Wilson OF Sedgwfck
l county. a red-haired man, to be his cam
| paien manager and committee chairman.
| He also appointed red-haired stenog-
| rapher for campaign headquarters.
| Chairman Wilson at once set to work TO
| recognize red-haired local workers In every
| precinct Fred Dold. son of a Bunalo
IN. w packer a red-hafred democrat. was
| the first to contribute to the campaign
fund, sending his check for $l0o young
Murdock-he is now only thirty-tWo-cane
| from a stock famous in Kansas. His father
was a printer on the Herald OF Freedom
| when Quantrell made the raid on Lawrence
that ended in the historic massacre GUAM
| treil's gang chased him to q well, where ne
caught hold of the rope and slid down.
several shots were fired into the well Al
him. but none hit him.
victor Murdock's mother. who is nfece
| of one of the early governors OF Maryland
was q very handsome young woman. ano
| when the war broke out she rode on horse
| citing the patriotism of young mon to de.
| tense of the Kansas border. She was then
but seventeen years old. Only three meu
in her county-the postmaster. preacnel
| and cripple-failed TO ennst LOT SERVICE IN
defense OF Kansas.
The new representative wis on the plat
form In the convention hail When Jeffy
| 9impeon was nrst nominated for Congress
and Il was be who conceived ths nctisn oi