The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-03-25
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Correspondence 70 Daily Leader
Washington. D. C., March 20 Not
many Missourans In Washington thus
far seem inclined TO accept seriously
tho suggestion that their distinguished
fellow-citizen The Hon David Row
land Francis. is being considered in
high and responsible quarters for the
prize of the Democratic leadership
next year They declare that Mr..
Francis is wholly out OF touch with
the dominant element of the party in
his state. and assert that it would re-
quire something very akin TO a miracle
so to change the 4 'mocratic mind in
Missouri as 10 give I'm the delegation
from that state I'm 1904 Missouri's
new senator the Hon William joel
( Stone. is generally accounted the abso-
lutte master of the Democratic organi-
zadon ia Missouri and however much
he may differ in his views on party
questions with Mr. Bryan. the senator.
nevertheless. Is known to be firmly
committed TO the contention that no
man who did not support Bryan shall
be nominated next year It is broadly
intimated by well informed Missouri
Democrats that should an earnest and
strong movement for Ex-Governor
Francis nomination be made. Senator
Stones friends would bring out the
senator as candidate. and present
him to the convention as Missourfs s.
favorte son. with the view of com
pletely shutting Mr. Francis out from
consideration For years Messrs.
Stone and Francis have been factional
rivals in Missouri and it was NOT until
the latter entered the cabinet of Prest
dent Cleveland just at the most acute
stage oil The Democratic intenecine
strife Of 1896 that Senator stone secur-
ed the complete and undlsputed con
troll Of the party organization IA his
state lie has held it since then with
iron grip. as attested by his easy vic
tory for the senate with virtually all
the daily newspapers Of Missouri
against him. as we'll as the railroads
and other powerful influences.
It is an odd and interesting fact that
these two distinguished Missourians
have been at loggerheads all their life
Their rivalry started when they were
schoolboys together in their native
country in Kentucky Madison. which
is also the birthplace OF Senator Nc
Creary, of the Bluegrass state, who
though older than Messrs. Stone and
Francis. Witnessed many fight be
tween them Mr. Francis preceded
Mr. Stone to Missouri only a few
years. The former Settled" IN st
Louis, and at once applied his energy
to accumulating a fortune Mr. stone
went to the village OF Nevada, in the
southwestern part OF the state. where
he began the practice of law, and came
to congress before he was forty years
old About the same time that Stone
came 10 congress. Francis was elected
mayor of St. Louis, and from that
time on the lifelong rlyalries an
lwrangles OF these two Kenucky-bret
Missourlans began to be felt in thr
politics OF the state Of their adoption
Francis was elected governor of Mis-
souri, over ;he protest OF the enemy Of
his boyhood, and then Stone, in turn
was elected to that Office as Francis
successor after one of the most sensa
itional canvasses in the recent political
history of Missouri. Now that they
are both being mentioned Tor the presl
dency without a change in their rela
tions. It seems not unlikely that tbs
feud between them. which had its
origin in the ud-breeding atmos
phere Of eastern Kentucky. viii soor
be felt in national politics, as It has
been felt in Missouri politics for years