Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-04-27
MAKE THE CAMPAIGN DECENT.

| MAKE THE CAMPAIGN DECENT.
IAN errand boy Of the interests
| represents Kansas as senior senator.
-Emporia Gazette.
The foregoing sentence, lugged In
to an editorial formally launching
the boom OF Governor Stubs for
senator, is unfair and untrue and
| can have no other excuse than an
appeal to prejudice which ought to
be- beneath the dignity Of any self
respecting newspaper.
Charles Curtis was member OF
the house of representatives, first
from the fourth and afterward from
the First district for fourteen years.
He is the only man who was ever
elected to congress from two dis
tricts in Kansas, and his service in
the house was longer than that OF
any other Kansas representative has
been. It was after that long service
in the house that he was promoted
TO the senate by legislature which,
in selecting him, without doubt re-
Elected the wishes of large ma
jority Of the Republicans Of the
state.
To say that man with such a
record is Fan errand boy Of the In
terests," Is at least as much Of a
reflection upon the people who have
continued to give him their support
aAd confidence through all these
years, as It Is upon himself.
1t is equivalent to saying that the
people Of the Fourth district, first,
and then Of the First district and
then Of the whole state, either want
to be represented in congress by an
errand boy of the interests, or that
they haven't sense enough to see
when their representative is such an
errand boy-and the Emporia Ga
zette will hardly lodge so heavy an
Indictment against the people Of the
Fourth and First districts and Of
the state as to allege either one of
these alternatives. The hasty and
needless charge is only another OF
the Gazette's Pork Barrel editor
ials--a sort of "fire alarm" that was
not intended to be taken seriously.
Mr.. Curtis is not an errand boy
of the interests; but he Is an errand
boy for the people of Kansas. The
humblest citizen of the state never
applied to him for help that he did
not do the very best he could for
him and do 1t right away. 1t is a.
common saying among those who
have known the public men OF Kan
sas long time, that Curtis is an
other Plumb in his industry and In
his prompt and unwearying atten-
ton to the personal appeals OF in
dividual constituents.
And this does not mean. either,
that Senator Curtis counts for moth
ing In the larger duties ami respon-
slbilitles Of his office. He counts
for great deal AS a member Of
the house he placed to his credit a
large amount of well-consldered, con-
stEuctive legislation. As a member
of the senate and a member Of two
or three of its most important COM
mittees, he is recognized as an eff
fective, practical legislator who al
ways knows what Is going on In beth
houses and who gets results.
But we didn't start out to eulogize
Senator Curtis. We meant only to
protest against starting in, nearly
two long years in advance Of. the
election, on a campaign Of falsehood
and defamation. The Emporia Ca
lette occupies a position Of unusual
responsibility in this matter, As the
sponsor for and probably the chief
advocate Of the election OF Governor
Stubs. the Gazette can largely set
the pattern that It desires to have
followed in the campaign that Is now
beginning. II It wants a campaign
Of brutal personalities. in which the
discussion Of PRINCIPLES win be
drowned out By the ciamorous handy
ing Of epith6ta, Il can doubtless be
accommodated. II Il wants a de-
cent campaign II can contribute much
toward having one Of that lind hyI
properly csnnoring lie own typevrit.
er.-Iola Register.