The Washington times., 1915-03-07
Msr Dynamic Career in House
As Bull Moose Leader, He's
Going Home to Edit.
By THEODORE TILLER.

BY THEODORE TlLLER.
''Editorial Sanctun,. Victor Murdock,
Editor. New ideas in Newspaper Maxi
ing"
This is a story of the future Of a
''lame duck" who intends to keep busy
and not to think about the prefix lex"
which was attached to his title of Con-
gressman at noon, March IA. 1915
Since Moses Inscribed the Ten Com
mandmcnts on a tablet of stone, some
5000 years aso. men have had varying
ideas as to the course they would p,r-
sue II given control of n medium of
publicity. Most everybody has run a
newspaper for instance, or else has at
tempted to demonstrate how it might
be conducted in fashion more salts
factor! than that followed by the man
actually running it. Just as every boy.
at somc stage in his youthful career,
resolves to be An engineer, policeman CT
freman. 50 the grownup resolves nd
observes that he could beat the other
Fellow at the job of editing his news
paper.
He's OF Pay Roll Now.
with these few Introductory remarks.
let us set Immediately to the subject Of
Congrcssmcn-beg pardon. ex-Consress-
man Victor Murdoch of Kansas.
1t is not necessary to dwell here on
the gricvous fact that after highly
interesting and dynamic career in the
House Of Representatives., where he rose
TO the position of leader OF the Progress
sive party. Mr.. Murdock found himself
off the Government payroll at noon.
March 4, 1915. Mr.. Murdock ran for the
Senate out in Kansas last fall. and, al
though he made a 'bully' Bull Moose
showing. he wasn't elected
Consequently, when the gavel fell in
the House last Thursday Mr.. Murdoch
carried with him n :inal pay chack. 4
tribute from Speaker Clark that it was
too bad" he had 10 go. ami pleasant
recollections OF twelve years service in
Congress.
.ho What am going ; to do do nom:" TO-, - asks SKIS
and casts about for another.
The other job has been waiting for
"Fic' Murdoch many years. He put
on the assignment as long as possible.
but today he is on his way back 70
Wichita to run his own newspaper,
which is the Wichita DAILY Eagle.
Bullying With Ideas.
As he leaves Washington the head
underneath the auburn, curly hair OF
the former Kansas insurgent is Just
hulsing with ideas about that news
paper. If the wichita Eagle has a
room. who is set in his ways: that
autocrat has the surprise OF his life
coming wher Murdock dusts Off his
long unused desk and sets about editing
his paper.
There no telling how many other
things hc may have thought up by now
hut the day Congress adjourned he had
these editorial plans firmly rooted in
He intends to run a Sane and ad-
jectiveless society page.
He is going to be a hear-in the Wal
Street term-on Washington news.
He wants to print one raSe in hic
type. the easv-to-rcad" kind. pleasing
alike to the old. the near-sichtcd and
tho hurried aud tired business mar
who seeks to skim over III" paper
quickly.
One Word Criticisms.
lie will insist upon running Satur-
day review Of the stories and articles In
the current periodicals and magazines
Therell be no extended review: the cri.
ticism or praise will be expressed in
one word such punk, "passablc,
good lawful
Editorials must he shorter and bright.
er Those editorial uiterances W hich re-
nuire Weekend for their digestion
will not go on the Murdock editorial
page.
He will! cndcavor to arrange with the
railroad company to print daily the
names Of the Pullman passengers who
pass through Wichita en-, route to the
Pacific Coast. There's one transcont.
mental train IL day through Wichita.
These and other ideas are yelping fo'
an outlet in the Murdockcsaue Eagle
Inasmuch as "Nic" controls the paper
and his autobiography shows he 'be.
came mana ging editor in lS94"-it is not
seen how he can be stopped.
Mr.. Murdoch. however. has just Bit
of doubt about being able to go through
with that sane society column. He
doesn't know how the idea is going to
take with the society editor, the print.
crs. the editorial staff. or society!itself
IF vic" remains firm. however. there
will be no more items in the Eagle read.
ing about like this
Here's a Sample.
The charming Mrs. Wilbertorcc bus.
tin Rocks gave delightful dinner pa ~
last evening TO a select party of friends
The hostess was becomngly attired in
n Paris gown Of exquisite satin trimmed
in gold lace. Th" house was profuselv
decorated with beautiful cut flowers and
trailing cN NcrgrccnS.
In tho pro- pcctivc adioct;veless &C
count of this function IN the Eagle the
story would be covered as follows:
Mrs. Wilberforce Dustin Rocks en-
tcrtaincd party of friends at a dinner
party last evening. Only a few guest:
were invited"
EG'tor Murdoch would assume, i,
other words. that Mrs. Dustin Rock.
had on n drccs suitable to the occasion
that flowers were somewhere in the
dining room, and that the dinner was {
pleasant affair or else folks wouldn't sc
to the home Of Mrs. Dustin Rocks.
" ono does not assume those things
Mr.. Murdock thinks. one might as wei
not assume that Senators and Con