The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-10-17
cop" POLITICS
(By A. T. Edmonston

jefferson City, Mo-, Oct. 14.-The
harmony which exists in the Repub-
lican party out in the State since the
meeting Of the "gop" State Commit
tee down in st. Louis last Thursday
is of such a questionable fraternaI
character that the various factions,
metaphorically alluding, are carrying
concealed meat-axes and stone clubs
for self protection. When two or
more of the conflicting wings meet
such interesting subjects as the
League of Nations and who should be
nominated by the "gops" for govern
or and for United States Senator are
carefully avoided to start nothing
which will make the situation worse.
The news from st. Louis that Lieut.
Colonel Dwight M. Davis has declined
to become a candidate for Governor
is generally accepted as meaning that
he is too much red-blooded American
to make the race possessed with the
knowledge that the majority of his
supporters in that city are electors
regarded in the rural sections of Mis-
souri, as being strongly pro-German.
Enthusiastic friends of the Lieuten-
ant Colonel have stated that the only
political honor he will seek is to be
Republican National Committeeman
from Missouri or one of the four dele
gates-at- large to the National Con-
vention High class Republicans out
in the State favor bestowing one of
these honors on him to eliminate any
chance of some one from st. Louis
not hundred per cent American be-
ing accorded any recognition of this
magnitude and there through raising
any embarrassing issue to be ex-
planned as the election of 1920 draws
closer.
Since the "gop" State Committee
gathering down in st. Louis it has al
SO developed that half of that organi-
zation and some of the erstwhile lead
ers of st. Louis and Kansas City are
anxious to have every candidate for
the House to go on record before the
primary of next August as being OPP
posed to the present system of state
wide primaries to select the State
tickets, and make solemn promise that
in case of election, measure, the
same to be prepared by certain "gop"
bosses and would-again-be dictators,
substituting State conventions, will be
supported. 1t is pointed out that I'M
less this is done there will always be
danger, If three or four candidates
run for the same nomination, that the
10000 Republican Ethiopian voters of
Missouri may unite on some negro
running for high honor such as
Lieutenant Governor or State Auditor,
and give him the place, there through
bringing about an overwhelming de-
feat for the party at the following
election. And, again, the "wet" ele-
ment of the "gop" party have it fig
ured out that with party conventions
men can be constantly nominated who
are positively known to be highly ac-
ceptable to the "moist wing" and the
votes and the campaign contributions
of this faction kept in line for the
ticket.
Hundred per cent American Repub-
Leans out in the State are hoping
that Senator Seldom P. Spencer will
entirely ignore the instruction given
him in resolutions by the State Com
mittee to make party issue out of
LILO League VI 4NdtiULS tHIOukH NUI-
ing for all the amendments and res
ervations the majority of the Repub-
lican Senators favor, and pursue an
entirely independent course with
view Of keeping this issue out of pol
itics. Republican candidates for coun-
ty nominations who live out in the
State where pro-Germans are not as
numerous and boldly active as they
are in st. Louis and Kansas City, and
St. Louis, st. Charles, Warren, Perry,
Cape Girardeau, Usage, Franklin,
Cole and Gasconade counties, have
felt the pulse of their Republican
neighbors and know it is emphatically
settled fact that unless the Repub-
iiean party, State and Nationally,
keeps the League of Nations out Of
politics Missouri win 60 Democratic
at the next election by the heaviest
majority ever recorded. Every DEM
ocratic candidate for Congress in ru-