Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-07-11
HOT Fight FOR
BA|LEY'S SEAT
Hottest Political Battle IN
Lone STIR State Is
Being wlged
Senator Bsiley''s Successor
To be named Il Coming
Primaries

Primaries
Special to The Tssbun&.
AUSTIN, Texas, July l1.-One OF
the hottest political battles the Lone
Star State has seen In years is rapidly
approaching a climax, Two weeks
from next Saturday the Democratic
voters of Texas will engage in a State.
wide primary to determine, first, who
Ia to succeed Joseph w. Bailey in the
United States senate, and, second,
whether Governor Colquitt shall sue.
coed himself or be retired from office.
At the same time can. :, dates will be
named for lieutenant governor and all
other important State officers, for
judges Of the supreme court and court
Of appeals, members Of the legisla.
ture and county officers. But SO far
as the general public is concerned the
interest is centered almost exclusively
in the fight for the s~enatorship.
Immediately Senator Bailey an.
nounced his purpose TO retire last
winter the canvass for his seat began.
The followers of William ]. Bryan,
who had long fought Mr.. Bailey, set
out to get the place. Congressman
Morris Sheppard of the First District
admittedly one of the ablest members
among the younger Democrats in The
House, was chosen to lead. He start
ed out in determined fashion, but
within a month his health gave way
and he was compelled to announce his
retirement.
With the retirement of Sheppard
the leadership Of the radicals was TAX
en- by Cone Johnson, who previously
had been the center of several stormy
campaigns, having for their object the
~unseating Of Bailey. Johnson found,
however, that the pace set by his ri
walls in covering the great distances
involved in a stumping tour Of the
State was too hot, and after entering
upon a round Of speechmaking was
compelled to go to q sanitarium at
Fort Worth. In the middle of April
he announced his. retirement from the
race.
The radical leaders were in a panic
when the decision of Johnson was
made known to them. But they were
soon relieved when word came tc
them that Congressman Sheppard, af'
ter a month or more in z sa~nitarium
had recovered his strength and would
re-enter the race. Since that time Mr.
Sheppard has been actively in the
fight.
Mr.. Sheppard is for the initiative
and referendum and the fecall as part
of the States machinery Of govern
ment. He also stands with Mr.. Bryan
in the demand that free raw materials
shall be part of the Democratic tariff
policy. The same policies are advo
Gated by Congressman Choice B. Ran
dell, also a candidate for Senator Bal
ley's seat, and who has declined tc
listen to the plea of the +Sheppardites
to withdraw from the rac and leave
the field clear for Mr.. Sheppard az
the sole choice of the radicals.
The conservative standard bearer j:
Col. J. F. Wolters of Houston, who is
strongly fighting the so-called radica
ideas put forward by the Bryanites
Col. VOTERS is a born fighter and NJ
has an acquaintance with Texas pol
itics that makes him a formidable Op
ponent. Besides attracting the mod
crates OF the party, he is expected tt
receive strong support from the sheep
men and cattlemen who are opposed
to the free raw materials policy ad
vocated by Sheppard and Randell.
Notwithstanding the fact that tn
| Statewide prohibition question has
no direct bearing upon the Unitet
| States senatorship, this Is n Of thu
chief issues of the campaign. Volt
ers was chairman of the anti.prohibi
ton campaign last year, and NATURAL!
has against him the prohibition ele
ment. Statewide prohibition was de
featedl by only a little more than 500
votes at the election, at which men Q
all parties voted.
It is claimed by prohibition leaders
! a test Of the strength of the Demo
Gratis alone on this question will show
the "drys" in a good majority. Th'
prohibitionists almost to q man arr
giving their support to Sheppard
Randell is an anti-prohibitionist, al
though he did not take any ACTIVE
part in the fight on that question il
Texas. 1t is the general opinion, how
ever. the anti-prohibition vote will b,
divided between VOTERS and Randell
which, OF course, would redOund to tn
benefit Of Sheppard, as he Is the onl!
prohibiti0nist in the race.
The contest for the %governorshil
is almost as bitter as the fight for tn
senatorship, though not 50 complicat
ed. Governor Colquitt in his battle
for a denomination has but one op
ponent, Judge w. F. Ramsey OF tn
State supreme court. Judge Ramse.
is a prohibitionist leader and is max
ing a hard fight to secure the suppor
of all OF the advocates OF prohibition
in his fight for the nomination TO
governor.
The campaign for the senatorshi;
and the State Offices alike has beef