The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-07-02
WET AND DRY FIGHT,
"JOP" JUDGESHIPS
(By A. T. Edmonston.)

JEFFERSON Clty, MO-, June SU.-Rural
Republicans of Missouri will battle
warmly against their partymeh of
the cities on primary day in the eff
fort to force the nomination of three
lawyers, classed as being very "dry
and arid" whom they favor as NOM
inees for Supreme Court Judges on
the "gop" fall ticket. Urban Repub-
licans, the same occasion, will work
just as strenuously for a victory for
the trio of candidates the "wets" of
the state have chosen for their stand
ard bearers for the same high juris-
prudence honors.
1t is the first time in the history Of
Missouri that the wet and dry prob
lem has been dragged into a party
contest for Supreme Court Judgeship
nominations. 1t is not the candidates
who have injected the bacchanal is
sue into this coming turbulent pre-
liminary skirmish but the members of
two warning factions of the party in
the endeavor of each to register a
victory for a self-selected slate,
which, in the opinion of those person.
ally interested, suits their views and
purposes.
Three "gop" Supreme Court candi-
dates are to be nominated and there
are eight party aspirants for the
places. As can be surmised, consid-
eravle ill feeling already exists be-
tween the two contending "gop" fac
tons and the verdict of the primary,
August 3, regardless of which slate is
put over, will widen the breach.
One slate, the one the prohibition
element of the "gop" party is anxious
to see nominated, consists of Edward
r. Higbee of Kirksville, candidate for
the Republican nomination of Su-
preme Court Judge, Division No. 2,
unexpired term; North T. Gentry, Of
Columbia, Republican candidate, I'M
expired term, Supreme Court Judge,
Division No. l.; and Arch B. Davis Of
Chillicothe, Republican candidate, full
term, Supreme Court Judge, Division
No. 2.
Slate Of the dripping Cops"
The slate the dripping cops" of
St. Louis, Kansas City and other for
merly "moist" Missouri cities, have
prepared and which they intend to
nominate, favors the candidates. of
Sam d. Hodgdon of Webster Groves,
st. Louis county; C. C. Madison, Kan
sas City; and State Senator Conway
Elder of St. Louis. Hodgdon, now
Probate Judge in st. Louis county
and formerly assistant Circuit Attor-
ney in the city of st. Louis when sa-
looms ran there all night and con-
stantly violated the Sunday and other
"blue" statutes, aspires for the long
term Supreme Court judgeship nomi-
nation on the "gop" fall ticket State
Senator Elder of st. Louis city and
Madison of Kansas City will be fully
satisfied if they are rendered the two
short-term "gop" honors.
The pro-Germans of the "gop"
party, it is announced, are going to
vote the slate which has been pushed
into the Republican limelight in all
former Missouri cases through being
recognized as carrying the aggrega-
ton of legal lights favored by the
"waterlogged" faction. In addition,
it is stated, negro "gops" of Missou-
ri, numbering 10000, will on primary
day vote for the three chosen by the
John Barleycorn forces.
Still Another Faction, the Neutral
Duo"
Two other Republicans, Judge Da-
vid f. Blair of Joplin and Denton
Dunn of Kansas City seek two of the
same Supreme Court judgeship nomi-
nations on the "gop" ticket their other
six partymen are contesting for.
These two candidates, not having
been slated for nomination honors by
either the "wets" or the dries" of
their party can euphoniously be re-
ferred to as the neutral duo", with
out rejecting on their standing as ju-
risprudence disciples. Judge Blair is
a candidate for the long term nomina-
ton on the Republican ticket and
thereby opposes for this nomination
both Judges Hodgdon and Davis. At
the present moment he is one of the
two Republican members of the Mis-
souri, State Public Service Commits
sion. He promises to resign from
that important and powerful post, if
given the Republican nomination, but,
it is averred, not until then. Four
years ago when John M. Atkinson
held similar position on this COM
mission and became candidate for the
Democratic nomination for Governor
he graciously resigned SO as to not
have an disadvantage on the six
partymen who were out for the same
honor.
Fierce "GOp" Combat Staged for
Kansas City
Judge Dunn, the Kansas City Re-
publican candidate for the nomination
for Supreme Court Judge, Division
No. 2, unexpired term, is opposing the
candidates. of Madison and Higbee.
He and Madison are from the same
town, and, consequently. the 'gop"
faction of Kansas City which is DOM
ineered over by the Irregular bosses"
will support one, and the other wing,
the "gop" insurgents, the other COM
Blatant. A bitter fight between the
friends of these two Supreme Court
judgeship gladiators, will occur on pri-
mary day in the Kaw village.
No Lowden Presidential Funds"
Involved.
AS far as is known the "Lowden
slush fund scandal" has not touched
the three-cornered primary day "gop"
r.. Il.