Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-07-01
surprised that any person should raise

senator, for that will be disposed of by
the rank and file of the party; not as to
whether am ''egotistical'' or whether
or not the Journal editor is suffering a
brain storm or whether or not he is
writing by proxy; it is not even a per-
sonal matter between candidates, for
have no indictment of personal nature
to bring against Representative Gesner,
but as l said in my statement last week,
1.-THE issues between Mr.. Gesner and my.
self are first, which one is the more
competent to fill the office or position to
which We aspire; and second, whether
Mr.. Gesner represented the people in the
regular session Of the legislature, or
whether he was dictated to by a few
Machine Politicians" The editor says
that am egotistical in saying that am
better qualified. have not said that,
nor do intend to, but the people are
making that an issue, they are talking
about it, therefore say it is an issue,
and in my judgment that will be one of
the things which will control their votes
on August 4th.
My conviction is that Mr.. Gesner's
record is not satisfactory to the greater
number of Barber county republicans
and l also believe that some of his
votes in the legislature were controlled
by influences welded by professional pol
iticians rather than having been prompt
ed by the will of his constituents; and in
support Of this contention I have only
to cite his vote or his failure to vote on
the anti-pass bill, the primary bill, the
freight rate bill, the bucket shop bill,
and the guarantee bank deposit bill, in
each of which instances his vote was
against what the people of Kansas de.
sired. 1 also contend that he has waver-
ed and has shown tendency to change
with the politicians who seem to have
dictated all through his legislative term.
For instance, at the regular session we
find him voting against the primary
law, while at the special session he
voted for it even before it went to con-
same bill he voted against few months
before. Going outside of the printed
record, it is not a matter of secrecy that
the men who are responsible for his can.
didacy, admit that he can not be neg
lected while in the legislature and that
it was necessary during the entire ses-
sion of 1907 for certain politicians to
camp with him to see that he voted right
during the roll call.
The Journal desires to know what is
meant by 'machine;" it is this: A
small bunch of politicians who surround
a legislature and direct 1.-THE kind that
has been in evidence at most every
legislative session and who use their
efforts to destroy wholesome legislation
either by amendments or killing it out
right, but which, thanks to the good
judgment of Kansas republicans, has
about run its course. Locally speaking
by Machine" 1 allude to the little
bunch of politicians who pushed Repre-
sentative Gesner into the race two years
ago and also this year without making
the least effort to ascertain the wishes
and desires of the party membership,
and the same gang that is now sowing
the seeds of discord and sus picion in the
ranks and making Misrepresentation
with respect to my candidacy.
Finally permit me to say that enter.
ed this contest after carefully weighing
all questions, fully realizing that it
would mean the displeasure of certain
politicians and I may say also, that 1
entered the race at the solicitation of
many of the best republicans of Barber
county upon whom we can depend for
success in November and 1 have full
confidence that the republicans of Bar
Der county believe in honesty, sincerity
and fair play and their decision on
August the 4th will be abundantly sat
isfactory.
1 have no malice in my heart for the
small "coterie" that is barking at my
heels. I have known them long and
we'll and their seeming frenzy does not
disturb me in the least but is evidence
of their defeat. History records that
the cackling of geese saved Rome but
unless 1 mistake the temper of the re-
publicans of Barber county it will not
save the machine" of Medicine Lodge
and Kiowa. The handwriting on the
wall was interpreted to Belshazzar too
late. Will the "Coterie" profit by that
historical lesson and take warning before
the season closest SAMUEL GRIFFIN.
Mrs. D. c. Patton of Wellington, ar
rived yesterday to visit her daughter,
Mrs. |. G.. Richardson.