The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-06-18
GLIB GUBERNATOR-
IAL GLEANINGS
(BY A. T. Edmonston.l

(By A. T. Edmonston.)
Jefferson City, Mo-, June 15.-With
six aspirants, Judge Charles H. May
er of St. Joseph, Lieutenant-Governor
Wallace Crossley, former State SEN
ator Frank H. Farris of Rolla, Col.
Ruby d. Garrett of Kansas City, and
John M. Atkinson and Robert H.
Meryman, two practicing jurists OF
St. Louis out for the Democratic NOM
nation for Governor, the primary
still six weeks in the future and more
than half of the party electors of Mis-
souri, undecided in their choice, there
is still ample time for one of the can
didates to transform the aspect
through striking popular chord and
therethrough landing the big prize.
A sudden bold PRONUNCIATION of a
plan to curb profteering and thereby
bring down the cost of such former
commodities as potatoes, sugar, tur-
nips, tomatoes, shoes, flour, clothing,
coal, wood and similar articles, now
high priced enough to place them in
the category of Injuries, might prove
the coup de grace needed to pull
down the plum. But, Mr.. Candidate,
don't step on the toes of the farmer or
manufacturing while you are doing
it, is the advice which goes with the
suggestion.
Bold Popular Coup may Win the
Nomination.
A declaration that all members Of
future State Public Service Commits
sions be elected by popular vote in
stead of being appointed by the Gov
ernor, to thwart and keep the gigan'
tic telephone and light, water and gas
companies of the State from pooling
their strengths to dictate appoint
ments of men who will keep up, and
occasionally raise the price Of the SER
vices, would prove passe-partout to
the situation, but where, oh where, is
the legal light in Missouri who, to ia
vor the people, will bite the hand
which feeds him. Five of the Demo-
cratic candidates for the gubernator-
ial nomination are lawyers, and one
of this quintet is generally mentioned
by those who know as being the choice
of the public service corporations
which interests are expected by st.
Louis and Kansas City ward leaders
to put up enough money for primary
purposes to make it worth while to
help nominate him.
There is a chance that the sixth
candidate, Lieutenant-Governor Cross
ley, who is newspaper man, may
drag the issue into the campaign and
thereby make himself the most popu-
lar Democratic warhorse in the con-
test. Who can tell? A move to re-
store the pre-war railroad fare of
either two and two and half cents
sa the present state law and Supreme
Court ruling calls for, would win the
support of thousands Of travelling men
and women over to the candidate who
boldly declared for the proposition.
Platforms only differ on Prohibition
Up to the present moment the six
entrants in the Democratic guberna-
torial derby are running on platforms
which are almost identical on all is
sues save that of prohibition. A lit
tie spice and variation injected into
the melee by the candidate running
last and the necessary publicity Civ
en- to the venture would enliven it
enough to change the whole outlook.
Judge Mayer, Col Garrett, Senator
Farris or Lawyer Atkinson could do
it and easily win over the electors
who are waiting on some live wire
proposition on which to base their
final choice.
Atkinson and Farris are the two
candidates who have taken definite
stand on the question Of prohibition
The former, the st. Louis lawyer,
stands absolutely for continuance of
the present aridneS5, and the other,
Farris, favors lifting the ban on bac-
chanal beverages enough to restore
bcei and light wines Or the same
issue the other four candidates are
more or less liberal, but, so far, have
not dragged this problem very deeply
into their campaigns. Soon the anti
saloon league and the w. c. 7. U. and
other temperance organizations OF
Missouri will send out their fatal
.questionnaires and therethrough at
tempt to put all gubernatorial candi-
dates, Republican as well as Demo-
cratic, on record on this vital issue.
Failure to comply with this request for
information, or a vague, indefinite, or
evasive answer means the black list
as certainly as reply that the Federal
Volstead act ought to be modified suf-
ficiently to bring back "cold suds"
and similar light "joy" beverages.
Farris is already on the "goat" book
of the temperance advocates of the
State, and others will be there soon.
How much this fact will benefit or in
jure the August primary will tell. Ev-
en- now Atkinson is booked as the can !
didate the Democratic law and order
forces Of rural Missouri will favor
with their votes on primary day.
Judge Mayer and Farris Very Active.
During the last two weeks Judge
Mayer, former Senator Farris and
Col. Ruby D. Garrett, the soldier-law-
yer candidate of Kansas City, have
been busy out in the State meeting
rural Democrats. Each corraled some
of the unattached primary vote they |
encountered and made substantial
gains. But the field to be covered is
large and there still remain thousands
of Democrats willing to be led out Of
the wilderness by the proper Moses.
A peculiar fact which has been COM
mon property for several weeks and
is in evidence all over the State is
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