The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-28
Henderson Martin, Chairman OF
Democrats, Makes Denials.
No Member of His Party Will
Vote for Stubs.
HE HASN'T FOUND ONE.
And Has Been on the Hunt for
Them, Too.
COnvinces Himself That This Is
Democratic Year.
LIE HASN'T FOUND ONE.

Henderson Martin, chairman of the
Democratic state committee, and can
didate for congress in the Fourth dis
trict, has returned to headquarters af-
ter a week spent in campaigning on his
own hook. When asked if there was
any truth in the claim being made by
the Republicans that many Democrats
were going to vote for the insurgent
nominees of that party next Novem-
her Mr.. Martin said:
There is not a single word of truth
in that claim so far as I have been
able to find, and I have made it a point
to ask concerning this claim of the in
surgents every time I had an oppor-
tunity to do so. The fact is remark
able, but in no instance have 1 found
a Democrat who will admit that he is
going to vote with the insurgents.
I'm addition to my own observations
on this point 1 have received reports
from more than two-thirds of the Dem
ocratic county chairmen in the state
and they indicate that this talk, which
has emanated from insurgent sources
entirely, is all moonshine.
why should a Democrat vote the
insurgent ticket in Kansas? The DEM
ocratic ticket is satisfactory to every
Democrat in the state, and further
than that. this is Democratic year
and the Democrats know it. The con-
gressional elections in Massachusetts
and New York and Missouri and the
state elections in Maine and Arizona all
indicate that this is to be a year of
general rejoicing among the Demo-
Gratis.
ANY man, I care not what his po-
1itical affiliations NAV be, who will go
out among the voters of the state will
be compelled to return a verdict to the
effect that this is to be a Democratic
year in Kansas. All signs are right
and so plain that the voters cannot
fail to read them and the verdict next
fall must certainly be in favor of De-
mocracy and its teachings"
Morton Albaugh. master mechanic of
the old machine for many years, and
one Of the best known and able men
of the party leaders the state ever
knew made the fight of his life many
years ago for Saratoga for the county
seat of Pratt county. He lost the fight
and Pratt has been the county seat so
long that the fight has even been for
gotten by many people. But the fight
was a real hummer and well worth re-
calling. The Wichita Beacon gives the
details as follows in recent issue:
Morton Albaugh, clerk of the fed
eral court, is one of the pioneer edi-
tors of Kansas. Mr.. Albaughs home
IS at h1ngman where he owns big
interest in the Leader-Courier. But the
official really lives at Topeka. He votes
at Kingman.
In the early eighties Mr.. Albaugh
went to Pratt county, settling at Sara
toga. He launched the Saratoga Sun
and doomed his town for the county
seat. Iuka had the seat of government
and Pratt and Saratoga were fighting
for it with Iuka third rater.
Things got interesting with gun
-7141 oTo
court procedures on the docket. Through
it all Mr.. Albaugh stood by his town
helplng TO build 1t up until the place
which now is a wheat field, had a pop
uiation Of nearly 1000 souls.
Dell Travis, ex-game and fish war
den was a boy those days and his faith
er owned big mill run by water
power. Near this mill is now located
the state fish hatchery and the old mill
pond is still in existence
Along about 1884 the big Indian
scare came and settlers fled to towns
leaving their effects unguarded The
scare proved to be 'fizzle' and in the
minds OF many Saratoga pioneers il
was started by citizens of Pratt in or
der to scare voters out of the county so
that -Sratt could out-vote its rival
Saratoga got the county seat once
and Albaugh'S paper got the county
printing. Pratt stole the county rec
ords but a band of armed Saratoga
citizens marched into Pratt and made
the county officers carry the records
back to old 'Toga.
Then the voting came. About I
thousand more votes were cast in the
county than there were voters and
Pratt won. Albaugh helped start i
lawsuit to keep the county seat in
'Toga and stayed with the sinking ship
until the rush of the Pratt tide swept
over old 'Toga carrying away its hopes.
Then Albaugh quit. He sold his
plant, subscription list and good wiz
to the Pratt Republican and went TO
Kingman.
Saratoga made an uphill fight for
existence several years afterward First
its big hotel vas moved to the new
county seat. Then went the big rink
OF town hall. Buildings became desert
ed. Merchants went away. The brick
houses began to be for rent. Some Of
them were wrecked and the brick haul
ed out to farms where they were put
into houses.
Years rolled around. Along about
1880 all that was left of Saratoga was
a mill. deserted two-story brick
building. one or two residences, a big
blasted hopes
ssThen came the deluge The panic
of 1893 wiped out the town entirely
The brick store building was torn
down The mill went w in smoke
later. The santa F'e moved it's depot
away but maintained a siding. Even
the big brick school house on the
hin was cut down to a one-story af-
fair and lastly the railroad siding was
taken up.
"Today where once a town of 1000
hopeful souls were situated. weeds,
wheat and corn and srnflowers grow.
"AIbaughs SIN is dim memory.
Pratt has forgotten the county seat
fight of long ago. Those who cast
their fortunes with old 'Toga have
scattered all o-er the world.
1.-THE big mill pond, the made over
school house. the brick and stone be-
meath the fields and the recollectiOns
of such men as Albaugh and those
with whom he labored cell a story that
has its many parodies in such bitter
contests as those which made Woods
dale and Hugoton. Ulysses and Cincin-
natl famous on farther west"