The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-12-26
LETTER FROM STATE CAPITOL
{ By A, T. Edmonston)

LIE Il EiN INoNt oAHih VA n - w
{ By A. T. Edmonston)
jefferson City, Mo-, Dec. 1.-THE
entry of Attorney James l.. MINIS
of St. Louis, former Counselor for the
Wabash railroad, in opposition to Sen
ator Selden p. Spencer, for the g. o. p.
nomination for United States Senator,
is already regarded by the "dry" re-
publicans of rural Missouri in the
light of declaration of war against
their candidate, the present incumbent,
for his prohibition activities and pro-
clivites. While g. o. p. prohibition
leaders admit they have no fault to
find with the efficiency, integrity and
high standing of Lawyer MINIS, yet
they proclaim that to nominate him
would be accepted over the country
as party chastisement through elimi-
nation Of Senator Spencer for voting
in the United States Senate against
lifting the war time lid. Such re-
buke would turn the cock back twen-
ty-five years for the cause of prohi-
bition in Missouri, republican dry lead
ers announce, and, for that reason
solely, it would lead to the overwhelm-
ing defeat in the state at the next
election of the entire ticket, from
President down to the nominees for the
legislature. Nine out of every ten
dry republicans out in the state would
through thirst for Vengeance, either
vote the democratic ticket straight OF
remain away from the polls.
Whether Lawyer MINIS is wet OF
dry is not being considered by the
thousands of prohibition republicans
in the tall timber and high grass re,
gions, but it is the principle which Is
at stake. When Senator Spencer vot.
ed the way he did on prohibition he
was but carrying out the wishes and
dictations of the very "dry" majority
of his party in Missouri, which, in re-
atty, outnumbers the "wets", even in
Guiding those who. vote in the big
oasis, st. Louis, three to two, g. o. p
prohibitionists declare.
On the other hand the "wet" minor
ity of the Republicans party is after
the scalp of Senator Spencer hot and
heavy and will not consider the blow
to their cause wiped out until it hands
dangling in all its greyness from the
rear of the G. o. p. elephant on the
night of the August statewide pri,
mary To gain their point all wet
"gops" of st. Louis, Kansas City
Springfield, Joplin, Sedalia, Jefferson
City, Cape Girardeau, and other
"moist" Missouri cities will rally to
the support of any candidate daring
enough to enter the arena against
Senator Spencer, be that individual
as dry as the Sahara desert of as wet
as a beer-soaked bar towel. Lawyer
Minis, or any other similar timber,
will easily draw the "wet" vote in pre-
ference to Senator Spencer.
The true facts as to why st. Louis
did not get the G. o. p. national con-
vention are coming out. Beyond the
reason that Chicago had more money
to offer to meet the expenses of that
nationwide partisan gathering and
that much "driftwood" was floating
around in Washington the day the
honor was conferred, there are other
reasons why the "windy burg" on
Lake Michigan once more brought
home the bacon. Several national re-
publican leaders, it is whispered
around, pointed out that since the re"
publican majority in the United States
Senate, had, for purely selfish parti-
san reasons, failed to ratify the peace
treaty and rejected the League of Ma
tions' covenant, it would seriously in
jure the chances of success of the
1920 national ticket to nominate the
President and Vice President in city
where republican pro-German sym.
pathizers are so strongly in control
Of the local party machine. 1t was
pointed out further, Missouri would
go overwhelmingly democratic next
November anyhow, because of the
many fractional fights which had brok-
en- out over various issues in the rank
and file of the party, and to hold the
convention in st. Louis would lead to
national airing of ali these disputes
and there-through sow the seeds OF
dissatisfaction elsewhere. There also
was danger that Chicago would go
democratic next November and hold
ing the g. o. p. national convention
there might help to keep it in line for
the republican nominee.
Democratic papers all over Missouri
easily numbering 500 stand ready to
supply real, live democratic news to
their readers the moment the 1920
campaign opens up after the holidays.
An actual count of the democratic
newspapers of the state reveals that
LOT Of the ia counties have at least
one party organ, and such hundred
per cent American bailiwicks as Au-
drian, Randolph, Galloway, Monroe,
Marion, Pike, Boone, Bates, Cass,
Clay, Clinton, Cooper, Henry, Saline,
Howard, Cole, Jackson, Jasper, John