The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-04-09
POLITICAL PRATTLE

jefferson City, April THE an
nouncement from Governor Frederick
d. Gardner that he will not enter the
Democratic Senatorial race proved to
be a keen disappointment to thou
sands Of Missouri Democrats who had
selected him as the chief party stand
ard bearer for the State, the next cleo
ton, and saw in his candidacy for the
ermine toga an asset which would
have brought thousands of votes to
the fall ticket. But Missouri Democ-
racy still has at its. command for use
in the coming campaign the glorious
executive efficiency records Governor
Gardner, State Treasurer George A.
Middlekamp and Secretary of State
John L. Sullivan earned for them
selves during the last three years
through the liberal and mastery use
Of business methods in coping and
meeting the affairs of the common
wealth. One deed alone of the many
to the credit of the administration
which will go ringing through years
as the master Democratic achieve
n,ent, not considering any of the other
big welfare accomplishments since
in January, 1917, is the payment of
the huge treasury deficit of $2,250,0 900
which assumed huge proportions from
the commencement of 1909 and during
the four years the mysterious strang-
er" controlled the executive destiny
of the ship of State.
With Governor Gardner out of the
running it leaves the entries for the
big senatorial derby open to any Mis-
souri, Democrat with political aspira-
lions who care to enter. Two gladia-
tors are officially entered up to the
present moment: Breckenridge Long
of st. Louis who is Third Assistant
Secretary of State at Washington,
d. G., and John c.. Higdon, St. Louis
lawyer who filed three or four days
ago for the nomination. He was a
primary candidate two years ago
when former Gov. Joseph W. Folk
and Lawyer X. P. Whitley of st.
Louis, then United States Senator
through appointment, tilted for the
honor. Int he excitement of the con-
test between these two better known
Democratic war horses, Higdon was
nearly lost sight of by the voters, he
running a poor third. This aspirant
for the exalted Democratic honor may
make better race this time, especial
ly since he announced he would run
on "wet" platform.
Brock Long has not yet told the
Democratic voters of Missouri where
he stands on the issue of prohibition
which now threatens to become the
paramount one of the coming cam
paign. The well known Democratic
st. Louis leader, Harry B. Halves,
who looms up once more as the cham
pion of the liquor forces, is busy at
the present moment trying to smoke
Brock out on this ever-growing propo-
sftion. So far, that astute, clean-cut
Democratic senatorial candidate has
lodged formal declaration of where
he stands politically and personally on
the wet and dry problem by declaring
that neither Halves nor any one else
can stampede him and that he will not
let the electors Of Missouri know in
due time before primary day just what
his views are.
Bold, bad, naughty Halves further
demands that some big well-known
Democrat OF Missouri get into the
contest for the Missouri senatorial
nomination on "wet" platform,
threatening that if this does not hap
pom he will throw his Majors cha
peau into the arena and do all the
running on Observation-Disclosures
ocean platform himself. ~.
The moment that Hawes emerged
into the political lineiight with his
declaration that some liquor champion
must make the race for Senator on an
aRti-prohibition platform, Lawyer
Charles M. Hay, formes "dry" Repre-
sentative from Galloway county, now
practicing law in st. Louis, whetted
up his battle-ax land with loud de-
FAINT roar declared he was ready to
combat with any candidate Halves or
any other "moist' Democratic leader |
,rotted outs hfaa' 9@
Il is an awkward position, almost |
IS warlike as the one which contents |
he "gops" of the State, which De-
nocracy has to meet and solve before !
he August primary. As long as Gov.
;ardner was In the light Of . Demo.
salis senatorial possibility The vet