Pocahontas star herald., 1915-08-27
Little Rock Letter

Little Rock, Aug. SPECIAL
correspondents are not responsible
for the multiplicity Of gubernatori.
al candidates, and prospective or
possible candidates.
It is considered the inalIenable
right Of any man IN Arkansas who
has paid his poll.tax to aspire to the
office Of Governor, by seeking the
Democratic nomination, provided
his political record Is on straight.
Neither are special correspondents
responsible for the character Of
men who cause themselves TO be an
nounoed, or whose friends give them
a boost IN the direction Of the state
capitol. The cheapest kind OF no.
tonety, not to say fame, these days,
Is to be announced as a probable
candidate for governor.
There are now actually six IN the
race, Messrs Hodges, Brougb, Tay.
lor, MoRae, Crockett and Smith,
and as many others Just on the
verge Of shying their ohapeaus into
the nng. 1t being free country,
there is no one TO say they shall rot
run If they want to.
The voter has the last word, how.
ever, aud there will be several small
fortunes wasted IN a vain chase af.
ter the elusive will.o'the-wisp Of
the governorship-an Office in which
the worries, the annoyanoes, the
criticisms and the heart-aohes far
more than outweigh the somewhat
transient glory aud honor.
The item Of expense Is one that
usually deters prospective candi'
/ dates after viewing the situation.
In announcing that he would not be
a candidate, Senator Futrell well
said, "Customs and methods have
come into existence which prohibit
one Of moderate means from run
ning for governor.
The most recent ayowed oandi
date is l.. G. Smith, a former coun-
ty judge of Arkansas county, who
announces Local Option as his plat
form, permitting the people TO re-
tain the privilege to express their
likes aud dIslikes upon any given
question" J. NJ. Nall, a Grant
county farmer, has made known
through his friends that he may de.
eide TO aspire TO the governorship,
and that he will especially advocate
good roads and legislation u ad-
vance the interests of the farmer.
Former State Senator ]. j. Mardis
of Harrisburg, pay decide to enter
on a statewide prohibition platform,
and il is announced that he will de-
eide upon the case in few days.
Representative Monroe Smith Of
Ashley county, a member of the
Special Investigating Committee
that has been so much in the lime
light here for the last few months
quoted that he "would like TO have
chance TO tell the people some
things he knows" that he probably
discovered while auditing the
various officers, and IN order TO dc
so that he may decide to enter the
! race for Govern or.
Among those who have been more
, prominently mentioned for some
time as prospectives, and who are
still delaying an ann ouncement OF
their intentions, are Gov. Hays,
2 Judge A. J. Walls and Congress
man 7. II. CarawaY. Any one OF
, all three of these may be expected
to any time TO enter the running,
aud it is not at all impossible that
there will be as many as twelve
candidates. This will be the larg.
est number that has ever offered in
any campaign in the state and such
a scrambling as there will be has
never before been witnessed.
1t Is interesting TO conjecture
the cause for such a condition.
Each citizen may explain it as he
pleases, but probably one of the
most obvious explanations would
not be complimentary to the opin-
ION of those who have always plac.
ed the Office of governor upon a
pedestal of dignity and honor. Or
is it because we are becoming more
truly Democratic?
1t Is also interesting TO note that
occasionally men whose names get
4 mentioned sometimes finally decide
that if they will continue in private