Barton County democrat., 1914-01-09
BRIsTow COMES BAck-ALoNE.
Victor Murdoek Is Bull Moose sena-
torial Candidate.

HAo4H ropuDAlCdl- -JuSN dS every
Kansas politician had known for a
week that he would announce and
before the telegraph operators had
completed the Transmission OF the
Bristow announcement, the receiving
instrument began to click and clatter
and Kansas knew that the Progres-
stves had called the Bristow-Capper
play and Victor Murdock's s announce
ment for United States senator on tn
Bull Moose ticket was on the wire.
The Bristow ANNOUNCEMENT came
after a days conference with Arthur
Capper and the Republican harmony
leaders. 1t is rather long, quite dig
nified and points feehngly to the fun
damental principles and sacred tradi-
tons of the Republican party, which
the senior senator now says he loves.
1t will probably later be followed by
Capper's gubernatorial announcement.
MurdOck's announcement is shorter.
1t is terse and snappy, uncompromis-
ing and chOck full Of the Kansas lam
guage. He swings straight at the jaw
Of the harmony workers when he de-
clares the Kansas Progressives sur
render gladly the trimmers and strad-
dlerS and job grabbers to the two old
parties, and adds, they would ham,
per us in our fight and embarrass US
in our victory, for We propose no only
to command success, but to deserve
it,
Bristow declared that history DEM
onstrated that three political parties
are impractical in American politics
and that the progressive measures can
and will be worked out through the
Republican party in the state and ma
ton. In his announcement Senator
Bristow does not say that he will be
candidate in the next election, but
that if he should run 1t will be as
Republican.
The action of Congressman Victor
Murdock in checkmating Senator
Bristow was a real surpise to the
politicians. OF course Murdock has
been mentioned as a Progressive SEN
atorial possibility, but with the com
ing Of Bnistow to Topeka there was a
rumor that the Republican, Progressive
troubles were being adjusted and that
there was hope Of keeping Murdock
out of the senatorial fight and even
greater hope that Henry ]. Allen
might not be the Bull Moose nominee
for governor. But following as 1t did
within a few minutes of the Bristow
statement, the Mundock senatorial
announcement muddled political at,
fairs worse than before Bristow am
nounced his political faith.
1t was the hope of Kansas politi-
clans to bring the Progressives into
camp by inducing Senator Bristow to
return to the Republican fo,d. Now,
the ProgreSsiveS are wroth because
of Bristow's desertion of their cause
and declare they will fight him if he
| is nominated. And BriStow'S hopes
for the future are in the hands OF the
men who have never aided the senior
member in former fights and whose
ardor for the Salina man was not in
creased when he followed the Bull
Moose cause i'm 1912 and crept back
into the Republican fold too late to
be of amy real benefit to the harmony
cause. For they recall that ten
months ago Bristow would not state
his political affiliations, that later he
refused to dicusss his political align
ment with Senator Ollie James on
the floor Of the United States senate,
but sent William Allen White a letter
to the effect that he would be with
the Bull Moose in the next cam
lpaim. Now Bristow is safely IN the
Republican column. But the politf
clans are uncertain as to the amount
Of strength Bristow will bring to the
party.
Charles Curtis will probably be a
candidate for the senate again next
year, And this is the dope that the
politicians prepare for the existing sit
uation. The Curtis strength is about
what it was against Stubs in 1912,
when be received the popular major
Iity in the primaries but lost the re-
nomination through failure to secure
r control Of a majority Of the legisla-
I tive districts. Much Of the Stubbs
strength has gone with the former
governor into the new party. The
Stubbs strength was largely the
Bristow strength. And unless the
Stubbs followers can be induced to
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