The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-08-26


South east Missouri. Major wants to
be senator, Gordon wants to succeed
himself as auditor, while Barker wants
to take Majors place. Each one is
working his present public Office for
all it is worth 10 land him in the next
job he wants, but there is kind Of
adjustment between Major and Gordon
and between Barker and Deal. The
pMtisans Of each leader throughout
the state are clawing the other factions
but their i'll nature seems to be due as
much to general dissatisfaction with
everything rather than to fierce loyalty
to any Of these leaders.
It is the belief Of this travelling man
that none OF the eager aspirantS lor
Office has any particular strength.
Major, he considers particularly weak.
1t is generally realized, says this wise
acre, that public Office has exposed
Elliott W. Major as it has no other
man. They are ready 10 admit that
his been a failure, and that while he
has tried hard enough to use the great
power Of his position to build up ma
chine that would land him in the
United States senatorahip, he has lacked
the skill even 10 do that. The old
machine can't deliver the goods; It
won't work. What popularity he once
had is evaporated. Most Of the boys"
around the court house realize that
Major would be a source Of weakness
to any ticket. This man thinks Reed
will have no trouble in beating him.
I do not know whether he is Reed
partisan or not, but it is only lair to
say that, although democrat, he has
never been an admirer Of Elliot W.
Major.
He thinks, however now is the
psychological time for some man who
can command strength to get into the
contest for governor. He thinks the
situation is waiting for such man.
The best possibility, as he sees it,
for the democratic nomination, so far,
| is Fred w. Gardner. He does no,
find that Gardner is so well-known Out
in the state, but he thinks that the
politicians who make candidates are
receptive 10 him. Gardner pushed
,hrouh the rural credits bill, which
when it gets into actual operation il
likely to strengthen him with the far
mer vote, but it takes a long time 10
anything to soak into your average
agriculturalist, as is shown by th'
reluctance with which those worth.
citizens were induced to take advant
age Of education in agriculture, pro
vided by the state. 1t took only a
bout twenty-five years Of proseltyin
for the farmers to discover that ther
was anything in the agricultural de
partment Of the State University. !
may not take them that long to real
ize the benefits Of the Gardner agri
cultural loan bill, but it is too muc.
to expect these slow.miDded ones t
absorb it all within less than two G
three years Of operation. Were
fully understood. it would likel
t strengthen its author politically, and
t very likely will anyhow. Howevei
D this reviewer OF the political situation
t thinks the first thing Gardner ougf
/ to do, If he intends to run for Cove
nor, is to cut loose from all the wranl
D ling factions that find their inspiratio
!. in the state government. As is we
known, Gardner had hoped to emil
y the aid Of the alleged machine inf
It ence Of governor Major. There is |
n evidence that he has been allie TO {
e do this, despite the debt Of gratitut
d the governor is known to owe hiI
{ but it is believed that Gardner ST
n clings TO the belief that he may
!. able 10 line up for himself some
1t this alleged influence Of Major. \
10 surveyor Of the situation thinks Il
even il he could line up this infuen
4. it would be Of very doubtful beneI
$, The chances are that it would bt
al political liability instead Of an ass
l This for the reason that the tactic
SD lined up against Major are much str