Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-12-22
A MERRY CHRISTMAS
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES.

Under the above heading the Trt-
bune of this city, in an issue last
week, assumes editorially, to defend
the position OF Judge Martin, the ne
publican candidate for congress (by
grace of a small minority of the ne
publican voters of this DISTRICT Not
content with arbitrarily placing MIR.
Martin with the progressive element
OF his party (where he does not be-
long, and whene the Tribune editor
knows he does not now and never did
belong) that paper in its gIaningly
misleading editorial gets down into
the mire of gutter politics by throw
ing slurs and innuendO at Mr.. Neeley,
the democratic candidate. The Til
bune lis the first paper we have noticed
TO resort 10 such methods in this
campaign. The democratic press, the
independent press and the progneS-
s1ve republican press have confined
their editorials to the Legitimate is
sues before the people-the questions
IN which the voters are intenested-
and it is to be very much regretted
that Barton county paper was the
first to resort 70 mud Singing in
what had, up to this time, been a
very decent campaign for principles
between gentlemen and their support
ers.
Regarding the character of the two
candidates and their reputation for
those elements which go to endear
men to the people who know them
beSt, would refer the Tribune editor
to the vote cast for Mr.. Neeley, for
the Same position to which he nov
aSpNes, in Reno, his home county,
last November, when he Carried that
county over the late Judge Madison
by 273 maiOrity, when that county lis
normally republican, by about 600
the vote at the same election being
$500 for the republican candidate for
Secretary of State, and 1907 for the
democratic candidate for the same Of
flee, republican majority Of 613
That does not look asthough there
was anything the matter with Neeley
where he is known best. And to
show further how Mr.. Neeley's own
people aTe going to conduct them
selves at the coming election. the
sporting men of Hutchinson ian ela
ment that figunes from information
at hand, and not from party preju
dice) are Offering odds that Mr.. Neel
ey will carry Reno county this yeau
BY greatly increased majon!ty.
Another matter touched upon by
the Tribune needs correction. Il
states that the democrats "are posing
Judge Martin as a regular to the
lnsurgent element and as an insm
gent to the regular. We defy the
Tribune to show a single instance
where a democrat-or amy other SANE
man who has followed the campaign
from lis inception before the primar
ies-has claimed that Martin is now
or ever has been anything but q
stand-patter at heart. The eleventh
hour plea for help by his stand-pa'
supporters is so obviously insincere
N the face of his past record, that i
will fool no one. The progressive
democrats, progressive republicans
and deep thanking independent voters
will consider one main issue wheI
they go to cast their votes on june
8, and that is: Which man can We
best trust to look after tht
interests of the great Seventh Kan
sas district, Mr. Nee1ey, who is now
and always has been On the fight fol
rhe people as opposed to the Inter
es;s," and who, if elected will worl
with am Overwhelming majority ia
the lower house of cOngnesS, or Mr.
Martin, the unqueS ioned cand.dat'
of the old, S'and-pa' element of tht
republican party, who sands fO'
TaifIsm. for Canonisn, for The Payne
Aldrich me hOdS of tariff revision up
wards and for al the Obsolete and b!
gone fallacieS against which the mas