The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-07-27
THE FAvoRITE SON GAME.


Editor Luther Harrison is making his news
paper the Ada News. much greater than i,s field
simply through speaking his convictions based
on Independent thinking. Discussing the follies
Of the San Francisco convention and OF the
Oklahoma delegation TO that convention In par
tcular no recently paid his respects to the ia
voritc son practice In politics:
Even nj the best the favorite son sohome
Is the game OF children In the market place
AT Its worst II means the disfranc C hsement
OF state. federal statute forbidding the
participation OF Oklahoma democrats In the
San francisco convention would not have
more completely disfranchised them than
the shackles placed about our delegates by
be- saarded assin.t sorsysr Suen IN i1,.y should should
we have had enough such tactics for the
next hundred years.
Favorite son business In not conducive to
either good politics or good government. In
national politics. It makes OF major sentiment
~ a party certain minority sentiment In a
convention. This has been proven 30 many times
that II is surprising that the practice Ia sti toll
Grated. That state should permit Itself TO he
tied to favorite son candidate when It's inter-
erts and Judgment alike run contrary Is amas-
Ing. We fully share esteemed contempo-
rarys indignation against the practice.
Az In Interstate politics 30 also In intra.stats
politica. For the clector 10 permit himself to
be tied to a candidacy for no better reason that
II Is the ambition OF n fellow townsman is for
that eiector to deliberately stultify himself
The fevcrite son theory In q reduced scale is
ifnperng the republican chances OF eleoting n
senator this fall Fourteen men are contesting
on the favorite son basis. Every one OF them ia
either openly fighting the nomination of Judge
Harreld or secretly doing 80. Which is an ad.
missiop that Harreid possesses the greatest
popularity Most OF them have admitted that
their own chance to be nominated lies In their
ability to beat Harreid.
II Is precisely the case OF the field against
Wood over again, There was but one reason for
the defeat OF Wood--it was that other candi-
dates might have an opportunity There is but
one reason for the defeat OF Harreld-that
other candidates may have a chance OF be-
coming the nominee.
The republican voters OF the state who really
seek to nominate the strongest and most popu-
lar candidate--the man who Will have the best
chance In the contest with the democratic nom
inee, should not permit themselves to be a. party
20 the favorite son game They should exert
themselves TO bring about the nomination OF the
candidate that has been proven to have the
greatest popular support; the only one with
statewide following. thus strengthening the
ticket for the grueling contest later on.
1t is not urged that other candidates have
not right to be heard. They have. They are
within their rights, Just the field" was
within its rights in opposing the nomination of
Wood. But this favorite business Is as self
ish as any other practice in politics. There is
nothing ethical about It. The mere fact that
''field" fofsns to defeat a candidate is oonciu-
sive evidence that the candidate so singled out
possesses greater strength than any combined
against him
Oklahoma republicans are faclng the finest
opportunity they have evar had to elect one
of their number to tho United States senate It
would be tragedy Tor them to permit themselves
40 deliberately throw such chance away be-
hcause OF inability to act with Judgment
k