The log cabin Democrat., 1914-02-12
ISSUES IN
 SENATORIAL FIGHT
ONLY ONE IS IMPORTANT
STANDPATISM VS. PROGRESS1V ISM THE QUESTION, PROF.
 FULKS SAYS.
BY CLAY FULKS.
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:

Among all the charges, counter charges, accusations, denials and ex- plantations connected with the senato- rial campaign, there is one, and only one, issue the people of this state are called upon to decide: namely, wheth- CT the Democracy of Arkansas shall align itself with the progressive ele- ment or the reactionary element of the Democratic party. This, the only real issue of the campaign, is liable to be obscured in the smoke of battle. Even if Senator Clarke should be able to disprove all the particular charges Judge Kirby has brought against him {; and if, on the other had, Senator Clarke should be able to substantiate each and every charge against Judge
 Kirby; the only important fact in- volved in this campaign would remain the same-that this is a contest be- tween progressivism and standpatism in Arkansas.
 Senator Clarke's only hope lies in his ability to divert attention from the real issue, or so to obscure it that lit will be overlooked by the majority. And it is unfortunate for the progress sive democracy in Arkansas that this vital issue is discerned and declared by so few of our local papers. The Log Cabin Democrat has defined the issue clearly, forcibly and fearlessly ; but, so far as 1 have observed, it is the only local paper that has done so. Senator Clarke very adroitly seeks to make an issue of his ability as a statesman and of his rank in the senate No one questions the sena- tors ability; that is not an issue. No one doubts what he and his friends
 say of his rank in the senate; that lis not an issue. Aldrich, Mark Hanna, Joe Bailey, Depew and several other defenders of stand-patism could have rested their cause on their ability and their standing in the senate. It is precisely such ability and such frank" that democratic Democrats everywhere are striving to eliminate from places of power. Ability ,'' for sooth! Senator Clarke was fable" to
 swoop down on the Arkansas Demo-
 cratic State Convention of 1912, like
 an eagle from his eyrie, and defeat the proposition for a presidential pre-
 ference primary in this state. He could, with just as much reason and
 ability" deny the right of the peQ-
 pie to elect the president; and this,
 too, I believe he would do if he dared to be absolutely frank in declaring his
 political creed. For this political out
 rage against the Democracy of Ar
 kansas, he should be politically ostra- cized forever. This fragrant exhibi- tion of stand-patism alone should de- feat him whenever the right of the
 people to self government is recog- nized. Given a whole page in the l could explain" his action in this mat ter learnedly, laboriously and to his own satisfaction; but, in the eyes of democratic Democrats, he has "sin- ned against the holy ghost" Senator Clarke's ability" and frank" in the senate helped to delay the direct cleo tion of United States senators. Sen ator Clarke's ability" was arrayed in the senate in support of a work mems compensation bill, which the late Senator Davis solemnly declared in speech before that body, was so vicious and so unjust to the work men of this country that he would resign his seat in the senate rather than support it.
 When the initiative and referen- dunn amendment was being fought out, when democratic Democrats all over the state were striving against great odds to secure the incorporation into the constitution the greatest demo- cratic principle of modern times when the right of the people or Ar kansas to self-government was tremb- ling in the balance, and was admit tedly saved from defeat only by the powerful logic and eloquence of w. J. Bryan-where was the ability of Senator Clarke then?
 What does it matter whether the Argenta street railway system IS a having business. so long as Senator