The Laclede blade., 1906-02-03
SECOND DISTRICT POLITICS.
r. G. Ferris, Of Mobsrly, May Be Pittsd Against
Judge Rucker for Congress.

has the following to say concerning
the political situation in this, the sec
,ond congressional district:
"Judge w. w. Rucker, whose nom
ination for congress from the second
district at the hands of the democracy
is practically assured, all opposition
having, seemingly, been withdrawn,
had a majority of 4,750 in 1902 and a
majority of 3O36 two years later. His
total vote in 1902 was 18,045, and in
1904 it was 81 ,639. Though he gain
ed 1854 votes in the last election
over the preceding one, he lost LIZA
on his majority. The republican vote
in that district in 1902 was 1928,
aud in 1904 it was 1886, or a gain
of 5,303. These figures furnish some
Of the encouragement which the re-
publicans of the district are experien-
cling, though they do not account for
all the. hopeful feeling which is repor-
ted to be prevailing there, and it is
believed the rate of gain, which was
greater than that made by the demo-
Gratis, can be maintained. Efforts are
being made to induce F. G. Farris, of
Randolph county, chairman of the
county committee there, to enter the
contest for the nomination, and he
has partially promised friends that he
will do SO. Mr.. Ferris is not only
good campaigner, but he does effective
work, as has been demonstrated, along
the lines of organization. His capa.
bilities, considered of themselves alone,
make him good material, which must
necessarily be regarded as being the
better seasoned when considered in
connection with the troubles of the
democracy. These have not been
wholly. removed, even though none of
the ambitious satellites who earlier
came into the arena remain in the
ring as contestants for the nomina-
tion against Judge Rucker.
"Jim Whitecotton has subdued his
congressional desires, and Ed. Har,
ber's boom, launched amid the pop
ping of fire-crackers and the swish of
sky-rockets at Fourth of July pic
mic, was really dead before the sparks
of the one or the pop of the other had
died away. Still, it lived long enough
for some of the newspapers to say
such mean things about Judge Ruck-
er that he must be hurt thereby and
their devotion lessened, if they sup
port him at all. The Chillicothe
Constitution, edited by an appointee
of Gov. Folk, was on the verge of
boiling Judge Rucker, whose congress
sional district gave to Jim Reed |
about all the support he received in
his race for the gubernatorial nomin-
alton, while the Moberly Democrat,
whose editor SHES to this day at the
mere mention of civic righteousness,
took the other shoot and declared that
Ed. Harber's proposed candidacy was
to be explained only on the ground
that a lot Of fellows thought he could
be easily worked and readily persuad-
cd to part with substantial wads of
contributions.
"These things linger in the demo-
cratic mind, and they are not conduc-
i've to harmony in those ranks. But
another of these troubles, and one
which will have a tendency to
strengthen republican hopes, is the i'll |
feeling which was stirred up by the
Ielection of j. T. Thompson, of Liv-
ngston county, to be a member of ,
the state committee from the second
district, to fill the vacancy occasioned !,
BY the removal Of Virgil Conkling ,
rom the district, when Tom Bresne- i
aen, of Linn county, was proposed Z
or the place. All the counties in the {
district but Livingston rebelled after /,