Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-07-15
VICTORY FOR RED HAIR.
Organization of "sorrel Tops Sent
 Victor Murdock to Congress.

Victor Murdock to Congress.
 Victor Murdock of this place. repub- lican, was elected to congress in this district (the seventh last week by an overwhelming plurality over c. aF Clyne, democrat, and Judge w. J. Babb, populist. The election was to fill the vacancy caused by the resigna- nation of Chester l.. Long, who was elected to the United States senate. The issue which Murdock forced to the front in his campaign was not one men, toned in any state or national plat form ever written-that of red hair. His fight for election was carried on by an organization which has been dubbed "The Short Grass League of Red Heads" Two months ago when Representative Long was transferred to the senate, 20 men announced them selves as candidates to succeed him. Two of them-State Senator Fred Du- mont Smith and Victor Murdock had red hair.
 Victor Murdock was attending the legislature for the Wichita Eagle, of which he was the managing editor, and warm friendship existed between him and Smith, who was geographically the strongest candidate in the race for congress. The field with the exception of Murdock, was fighting Smith.
 One night, in jocular mood, Mur- dock said:
 Smith, do you know that the red headed men of this country have nev- CT been fairly treated? Notwithstand- ing the fact that 10 out of every 100 Americans have red hair, we have never had a red-headed president since Thomas Jefferson. We must organ ize."
 And they did organize. Next day Smith announced in the lobby of the principal hotel in Topeka that the next representat.v from the seventh dis trict must have red hair. The political experts exploited the idea, and the red headed men of the seventh district, regardless of politics or prejudices, took the matter semi-seriously and be- came enthusiastic over it. As the cam paign progressed, Murdock's chance became bright. Every led-headed re- fpublican in the district worked stren- uously to be made delegate, and when the convention met at Great Bend on April 8. a good 40 per cent of it's mem- bers had red hair, and one of the most remarkable things In the history of Kansas politics occurred Murdock was nominated on the first ballot against 19 other candidates.
 To show his recognition of the men who he felt had brought about his nomination Mir Murdock's first act was l the designation of Judge Thomas o. | Wilson of Edgwick county, red 1 haired man, to be his campaign man. l ager and committee chairman. He ! also appointed a red-haired stenogra pher far campaign headquarters.
 Chairman Wilson at once set tt l work to recognize red-headed local workers in every precinct Fred Dold son of a Buffalo, N. r., packer, red haired democrat, was the first to con l tribute to the campaign fund, sending a check for $100. Young Murdock, he I is now only 32-came from stock l that is famous in Kansas. His father 1 was a printer on the Herald of Free l dom when Quontren made the raid on Lawrence that ended in the historic I massacre. Quantrell's gang chased him to a well. where he caught hol6 l of the rope and slid down. Severa l shots were fired into the we'll at him I Victor Murdock's mother, who Is g I niece of one of the early governors o' Il MdTylduu, was a. very lAdAusOlhO JouhS woman, and when the war broke ou I she rode on horseback over Douglas I county personally melting the patriot I ism of young men to the defense oi l the Kansas border. She was then bu' l IT years old Only three men in hel I county-the postmaster, preacher
 and cripple failed to enlist for ser
 vice for the defense of Kansas.
 The new representative was on tht T platform in the convention hall Wher
 Jerry Simpson was first nominated fol I congress, and it was he who first con ceived the fiction of Simpsons antip athy to socks. He printed stor. about 1t in his fathers paper the nex
 morning-a story that caused Jerry t
 be dubbed "The Sockless Socrates O I Kansas" It was he, also, who conceiv
 ed the idea of a government lotter.
 for the disposition of the lands of th'
 Kiowa, Comanche and Apache Indians in Oklahoma to white settlers. Hi!
 plan was adopted by the governor
 Murdock was invited to a reception
 given by President Diaz in Mexico two years ago. and not until he was il J the presence of the dictator did he re
 alize that he had forgotten his collar
 Wichita (Kan) Correspondence New
 York Herald