The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-06-21
REPUBLICANS OF STATE
HUNTING CAMPAIGN ISSUE

their State and congressional issues
for the coming campaign. Candi-
dates who are periodically inclined
admit that politics is adjourned" for
the period of the war at least.
In August the two dominant polit-
ical parties will meet in Jefferson City
to formulate the platforms upon which
their respective candidates will make
their campaigns. Nearly every can
didate in Missouri has adopted the
Republics plank Of 100 per cent
Americanism.
Several Democratic congressman
who were willing to shackle the hands
of the President have been converted
and now are shouting Americanism
as the only issue of the campaign.
| Hysterical conversions sometimes are
not lasting, so the voters in No
vember may not support some of
these converts"
Republicans Need Platform.
The platforms of the Democratic
and Republican parties in Missouri
for the autumn election should be so
closely aligned that it would be
difficult matter for the layman to diff
ferentiate between them.
The Republican platform adopted
in Jefferson City August %, 1916.
favored a peaceful settlement of in
ternational disputes and severely ex-
coriated President Wilson for his
Mexican policies. The platform was
made up of criticisms and few sug-
gestions.
1t dwelt at length on a so-called
undignified foreign policy, and sug-
gested as a panacea for the various
Democratic ills return to Republi-
canism and high, protective tariff.
The Republican State platform to
be drafted in August, when compared
with the one written two years ago,
will be interesting to students Of pol
itics
Vote for Women TO Come Up.
1t has been suggested by Repub-
lican leaders, that their plank layers
confer at Jefferson City with the
| Platform Committee chosen by the
Democrats and unite upon one plank
relative to national issues.
Woman suffrage will be one of the
salient subjects to come up for con-
sideration at the platforms conven-
tons. The friendly attitude of Pres
ident Wilson on this important prob
lem may have weight with political
leaders in Missouri. Missouri women
already have become active for the
coming campaign in this State, and
woman suffrage cannot be sighted
one way or another in the platforms.
1t also will be a difficult matter to re-
frain from taking sides on the liquor
question.
Joint Platform Favored
Candidates for State, legislative
and Congressional offices will make
these platforms. The men who will
direct the destinies of the platform
builders will be the two candidates
for United States Senator. They
either will be Joseph w. Folk or Xe-
nophon P. Wiley on the Democratic
side and Seldom P. Spencer probably as
the standard-bearer of the G. o. p.
Supreme Judge Waller W. Graves and
State Superintendent of Schools Uel
w. Lamkin, who have no opposition
at the Democratic primaries and are
the only State candidates, will be par
Elephants of the gathering drafting the
Democratic platform.
Graves, Lamkin and the Democratic
nominee for United States Senator,
probably will acquiesce in any plan
to draft joint platform with the Re-
publicans on the approval of the war
| nf
The Republicans in the Eleventh
Congressional District displayed un-
usual sagacity and patriotism when
they refused to nominate Republic
can candidate to oppose Congressman
William L. Igoe at the polls in No
vember.
Could consider State Issues.
Selden P Spencer, who, in all prob
ability, will be the Republican nomi-
nee for United States Senator. is in
the same patriotic league as Whitley
and Folk. They always were for 100
per cent Americanism. Spencer
might be willing to go into conference
with the Democratic nominee for Unit
ed States Senator, and the two leaders
write the national planks for both the
Democratic and Republican State
platforms.
Such an action would help stimulate
patriotism in Missouri. 1t could then
truly be said, "Politics is adjourned"
The minor planks to be drafted by the
two parties could be devoted to State
| issues.
PrO-Germans Are Active.
Good roads, precipitation of the Ma
tional Council of Defense with State
aid, workmen's compensation, tax re-
forms, improvement of rivers and
scores of other planks could be re-
viewed on party lines. But unifca-
ton of planks on national issues would
be the best anti-Kaiser propaganda
that could be printed.
There are ro-Germans in the DEM
pcratic and Republican parties in Mis-
souri, and many Of them. There is no
use of binding ourselves to this APP
palling condition Incidentally some
of them might seek Office.
Chance for Two Victories.
A 100 per cent American platform,
written and approved by the Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, will do more