Pocahontas star herald., 1910-06-10
Mr.. StubbIefleId Replies

r. BiSpham one OF my HOlloIdDl0 oP-
ponents for County and Probate
Judge. in which he proposes that we
Jointly call upon the Democratic
Central Committee to select one from
among the present Democratic can
didates to oppose the Republican
Nominee and which he further pro-
poses to read any candidate out OF the
party who refuses TO agree Win MS
proposition.
In answering Brother Bispham l
want to say that think that he IS
suffering from undue excitement and
| speak from an extended experience
in running these Hurdle races IN
which the conditions at different
times were the same as they are now,
that is should the Democratic vote be
evenly divided among the Democrat
candidates the Republican Nominee
would be elected, but such has never
been the case nor is there any likeli-
hood of il being so this time.
Personally / have no fears of Uncle
Joe Hufstedler as the nominee OF the
Republican party for as such he can
not expect support from any but lie
publicans. lie is not q candidate up
on his own merits like we Democrat
candidates, but was put forth as q
representative of the Republican or
ganization of the county which is the
foundation of the party IN the state
and nation and vote for Uncle Joe
will be an endorsement of the whole
party and all it stands for. concede
Uncle Joe to be an honorable and up
right man but in no way superior TO
his Democrat opponents, ana had he
saw fit to come before the citizens OF
his country upon his personal merits
like his democrat opponents | woulC
have deemed him much more dan
gerous rival.
want to call the attention OF the
Democratic voters TO my past races
and the conditions under which they
were made and to the fact that |
have always received more votes than
the Republicans have ever been able
to poll. The conditions in the past
have been more unfavorable to me
than the present, at the present. al
though | have six Democrats as OPP
ponents not one of them live in the
territory which has always given me
the greater part of my votes. feel
sure of more votes this time than the
Republicans will be able TO muster
The coming of Republican in the
field is not an unusual nor unforeseen
matter doubtless it was expected by
a 4 &c Nrh
against primaries, ! see no reason
why Brother Bispham, when he an
nounced, should not have expected a
Republican as well as other Demo-
Gratis as opponents. ] know ! did and
am not surprised or scared now that
they have come.
AS to the merits of the proposition
/ shall say but little at this time, as
/ do not admit either the need or the
propriety of IL.
do not wish you to infer from
what say that | think there Is any
thing wrong with the central COM
mittee. There may be a majority OF
this committee in my favor for all i
know, or they may favor Mr.. Bispham
or some other candidate for county
or probate Judge. The candidate
who has the least support among the
people at large might have a MAORI
ty of the committee, any nomination
made by them however wise would be
viewed with distrust. Brother Bisp-
hams proposition may be alright, |
don't know whether he knows how
the committee stands, l don't even
know who they are. | have always
been taught never to blow into the
muzzle Of a gun just to see If 1t was
loaded, and should i with the usual
result, ] would expect my friends to
inscribe as an appropriate epitaph
above my political grave.
"Another fool that 80
didn't know it was loaded
/ am by Brother Bispham like the
scared negro was by the rabbit, the
negro was running from what he
thought was a ghost, ran over a rab-
bit In the road, fell, got up, ran on a
little way. and ran over 1t again,
kicked il to one side, and said, look
here bre'r rabbit, If you can't run, or
you don't want TO run, for goodness
sake get outen the way and let some
body run what can run, and what
wants to run.
Now Mr.. Bispham believing as he
evidently does that the number of
democratic candidates endanger the
success of the party and in view Of
the party has done for him could
afford to retire from this race as he
has already been fully honored has
all the wealth he will ever need and
all the business to look after that his
physical strength should be taxed
with in his declining years. He could
stick feather In his cap for the
sacrifice of personal ambition for the
success of his party and add another
shining jewel TO his crown in that
great democratic future.
With me it is different / feel that
my chances are more than good. /
have spent half a lifetime of honest
endeavor in trying to rise to an hon
orable position among my fellow men,
and now when success seems near TO
cast it all as it were on the throw Of
dice is asking more of me than
seems to me to be just. 1t is only
~..;ase who have nothing to lose who
can afford to take such desperat e
St:ances. Owing to the reasons above
set forth and my past experience in
leaving a similar question TO a like
body to settle, shall have to respect
fully decline to join Mr.. Bispham in
his call.
AS to what Mr.. Bispham says as to