The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-17
AN OPPORTUNITY.

udDDtA would be a political revolution that would turn the long dominant par ty out of place and power-that such an occurrence would awaken the state within itself, and would point out to the whole world that the people of the state were awake and had the will and the way to overturn the gang that so long had held sway, impervious to the appeal or attack of the best elements ln the Democratic party or the out side influences.
 During all this time the fight in the ruling party has been but one disgraceful wrangle after another for power-for the pie. A thou sand times has it been said of the opponents in these scrambles, that if what each said of the other was true both should be wearing prison stripes. and all too often there seemed ample grounds to believe the charges made were true, and the good people of Arkansas, re- gardless of party, felt the sting.
 At least one reason for the long continuance of this condition has been that the old Republican party of Arkansas was no less a selfish machine than was the prevailing branch of the Democratic party. The Republican machines incen- tive for existence was to control the federal offices, the Democratic machine. the state offices. Such a condition was not conducive to bet ter conditions nor to a change in either organization.
 Things have gone from bad to worse. The election of Robinson for governor has been followed by one move after another aptly il- lustrating the power and audaclty of the machine control of the Democratic party, Democrats o1 lifelong at1ihation are disgusted with the situation. Men of wide knowledge of affairs, men of un- questioned integrity do not believe that Hays is properly the nominee of the party for governor, and, feel ing this deeply, announce they will not support him by their votes. On the other hand, the Hays managers and the machine politicians shout about party feaIJy duty to the old party and the ticket, and act like a pack scared to desperation from the fear of the aroused conscience of the people, who are seeing and knowing more and more of the po- litical trickery.
 The Democratic party, with a corrupt machine in control, and the Republicans hanging on frantically to the fast dissolving crumbs of federal patronage, it would seem to be an opportune time to step aside from both.
 George W. Murphy, the Progress i've candidate, is an old Confederate soldier with a good record; man by birth and attiliation in sympathy with high Southern ideals and a man
 
 loyal to Arkansas. He quit the ranks of the old party because it2 corruption was nauseating to him He joined the Progressive party because ill 1t he saw hopes of bet ter things. He seems safe man to put in the governors chair from any viewpoint. To place him there would put the Democratic party in a position 10 realize that something besides selfish machine politics was necessary to hold pow CT in Arkansas, and would awaken enthusiasm for the state both at home and abroad.
 It as said on all hands that Mur- phy has no chance to win because those in charge of the election ma chinery would not allow it-in other words they would defeat him by crooked methods if fair methods failed.
 Anyhow, this seems a good time