Barton County democrat., 1914-04-03
SAYS ALLEN IS RESTLESS.
Jay House Tells Political Secrets and
Airs HE Personal Views.

uOplSt, OrodhS IOiUu lLlOO PhfnL ulIS
week with the following outline OF
the Republican political situation as
seen from his side Of the fence:
Those who have recently been in
touch with him say Henry Allen is
restless in his candidacy. The fact
that the Bull Moosers 'buncoed' him
into taking it has gotten under his
skin. And he is much irritated by
the prophecies Of the political seers
that Vic Murdock will run ahead of
him in the primary and at the polls.
The political bedfelIowship Of Alien
and Murdock is one of the most cur
ious IN the annals Of Kansas politics.
When Allen bought the Beacon and
went to Wichita to live the NIur'
docks welcomed him as they had al
ways welcomed oppoedtim-whtch is
to say, with battle axe and scalping
knife. The two papers, the Bagle
and the Beacon, tore into each 9th.
er on municipal and oiher issues.
Saving and except the perennial news
paper row at Concordia, 1t was the
fiercest feud waged between two Kan'
sas newspapers within the memory ct
the present generation. Once, owing
to tn benificent recall provision
which goes with the commission form
Of government, the Bagle succeed
ed in having the Beacon s mayor
kicked out of office. The Beacon had
whipped the Eagle in the spring ek
ection and ATens business PARTNER,
John ]. Graham, had been elected
mayor. Within three months an agi.
tatiOn was started by the Bagle and
the result was that Graham was oust.
ed from office.
When Senator BristOw, after look
ing the prospect carefully over for
several months, turned back i'm the
direction of the Republican party
Murdock leaped like am oriflamme in.
to the leadership of the Bull Moose
forces in Kansas. Murdock had filed
his candidacy and taken Bristow Is
place before the warmth Of the lat.
ter's body had Departed from II. II
was all a carefully calculated mane'l'
yer staged for its dramatic effect for
the B. NJ. leaders had known for a
considerable length Of time that Br4s.
tow was headed the other way. And
1t was the only graceful way out for
Murdock. He had as much chance
to be elected senator as he had to
be returned to congress, which was
practically no chance at all. But he
figured correctly that he would have
longer funeral procession as a can.
didate for the senate than he would
have as a candidate for congress and
that the chances for a long chautau.
qua engagement next year would be
better.
Now, the Bull Moose party Of Kan
sas is shy on statesmen. 1t is the
political home of more .22 shorts than
any organization tat has existed
since the days Of POpuhsm. MurdOck
and Allen are about the only leaders
Of any class whatever, and Allen was
absolutely essential to Murdock's can
didacy. To have nominated a third
rate man for governor on the Bull
l Moose ticket, and third ratere were
about all the Moosers had at thetr
disposal, would have just about wip-
ed out the fading organization and
would have cost Murdock thousands
of votes. To save the organization
and to give MundOck's candidacy g
little standing, they started a pow
WOW over Allen and kept it up unit
he got into the race. And now, AL
len realizing that he has no chance
and that he merely lis an accessor!
to the Murdock senatorial campaign
, is much peeved by the situation iH
which he finds himself. Those wh'
: figure that Murdock will run ahea'
S of Allen dope 1t out this way. The!
say Allen has from time to time Ian
e med the Democrats so hard that h
}, will poll no progressive Democrat
Z votes. Among the old time hbera
e Republicans who followed Marsh Mul
I dock, there will be some scattere
sentiment for his Son, and here an
ther is a Progressive like Cy Delan
n who will be for Murdock and againE
e Allen.
e As a statesman, Murdock has bee
s greatly exaggerated. Personally 1
t is Fascinating and agreeable. He ca
N make a good speech. But he has ne
u er placed himself in position whel
st he had to max an uphill fight al