The log cabin Democrat., 1914-01-05
KIRBY DECLINES A
 JOINT CAMP AICN
SAYS CLARKE CONFfSSfS
TO CHARGES HE HAS BROUGHT, LEAVING NO ISSUE BE-
 TWEEN THEM.

Little Rock, Jan. 5.-There will be no joint campaign of the state by Judge w. F. Kirby and Senator Jas. P. Clarke for the senatorial nomina- ton. Judge Kirby early in the cam paign invited Senator Clarke to meet him, but Senator Clarke hesitated so long that now Judge Kirby declines to meet him on the stump.
 This is the latest development in one of the most interesting contests for the United States senate Arkan- sas has known in several years. Sen ator Clarke refuses to speak to Judge Kirby, declaring that he will have no personal dealings with one who in dulges in such mean and contemptible things to which Judge Kirby retorts that if the things he is telling about his opponent are mean and contempt ible" they are the things of which Senator Clarke has himself been guilty
 Last Friday Senator Clarke ad- dressed the following letter to Judge Kirby:
 Recalling the fact that you an- nounced on the circulars giving mo- tice of the times and places at which you intended to address the voters of Washington and Benton counties that II, as your opponent for the senator ship, was invited to be present to par ticipate in a joint discussion of the tissues raised in this campaign, take occasion to say to you now that the condition of the public business is such that 1 may devote some time to the service indicated I therefore take this occasion to ask you to indicate when it will suit your pleasure to hold conference, personally or through your authorized representatives, for the purpose of fixing the dates and places where such a joint discussion may take place.
 ''I quite agree with your published statements that this is the most sat lisfactory method in which the real controversies of this contest may be clearly defined and distinctly present ed to others.
 "As I deem this to be matter of some present importance, l trust you will make as early reply to this let ter as your convenience will permit. :"
 Saturday afternoon Judge Kirby sent the following reply:
 "Your letter of the 2nd inst, eX- pressing a desire to open negotiations looking to joint senatorial campaign, has been handed me by your messen- ger.
 Having attacked your record, and made some charges, including the one that you kept Charles L. Watkins, manager of your street car system Tn Argenta, upon the government pay roll and paid him $10,056 from the government treasury while he was on the job as such manager in Arkansas, I thought it fair to have joint dis- cussion. and accordingly invited you to join me in Benton county. You then declined this, saying your pres ence was required in Washington city, although you had been in the state for a month past.
 Since then you have admitted, Tn vour statement in the Arkansas Ga zette of Sunday, November 30, 1915, that the charges made against you in my announcement circular are true, and there are no issues now between us recurring a joint campaign.
 'In addition, you are personally dls- courteous and uncivil to me, having refused to speak when I last spoke to you and, under the circumstances, a joint discussion could not but be most Unpleasant and disagreeable, and con ducive neither to party harmony nor the public interest.
 'I, therefore, do not now intend to engage in any such discussion at all during the campaign, and leave you to 20 your way alone, explaining your racord as seems best to you, and l will