The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-12-19

capital city has not suffered from po-
litical laNity. because OF the contest
between republicans over who shall
succeed the late Jacob l.. Hamon for
national committeeman. However,
the predicted rush to the capital and
the frantic appeals expected on ac-
count OF that contest failed to ma
terialiZe. In truth the number OF re-
publican leaders from out the state
who have been here for the past sew
cral days was less than was true the
week previous.
Early In the week state Chairman
Jim Harris arrived AT the capital
from his home at Wagoner, The
meeting of the state central commit
tee IN TO be held Monday, for the
purpose OF selecting successor To
Mr.. Uamon. At this writing two
candidates are in the field, the state
chairman and Mrs. Jake l.. Ham0n,
the latter champloned BY Ed Dyche,
Seymour Price, j. ID. Norton. all OF
Oklahoma city, and Dave Malernee
OF W9lters.
Iiamon headquarters have been
maintained at the Sklrvin, while
Harris headquarters are at the Law
renee, with L. q. Disney OF Musko-
gee. and Dan Norton OF Chandler In
charge.
Dychc has sent out letters 70 re-
publican precinct com mitteeman
asking them TO indorse Mrs. lIamon
and there have been few state
mcnts from various leaders in the
daily newspapers. Beyond these cvi.
dcnces OF campaign. the national
com mmi,teemanship contest has failed
to arouse the multitude. largely for
the reason that the multitude cannot
aid the committee in making the Sc
lection.
Occasionally someone brings in the
name OF Senator-eleCt j. w. IIarrcld
AS the probable choice of the state
committee for the national commit
teemanship position. but the silence
of the senator and the activities Of
his principal leaders for Mr.. Harris
make OF those efforts sort OF cold
storage train. Also some OF the
Hamon leaders have essayed to "let
the mantle of Hamon fall" but so
far as can be ascertained at this time
Il has either not fallen or has been
lost after falling.
There are II members OF the state
mittee and Less than fifth OF
them have been to the capital since
the Hamon death. They will do the
selecting. Notwithstanding it has
been said and often reiterated that
the national committee is not bound
TO accept that selection. Whether
that last statement IL correct or in
correct is OF little significance for the
reason that Oklahoma Is too new III
the republican circle of states to be
given "A slap in the face by the ma
tional committee.
Faith In Harris.
Visitors To the capital express sat
isfaction that whatever happens at
the republican state committee
meeting, Harris will still be in con-
troll of the state organization. This
Is due to the generally expressed
view that his leadership IL very nee
cssary at the time when the republi-
cans. for the first time since state
hood, will organize one OF the
branches OF the state legislature. and
Harris. for twenty years leader, Is
believed to be of sufficient sagacity
and to have sufficient influence to
check the openly advertised on
slaught that is to be made on the
state treasury through the appropri-
alton channel
In truth the fact that Harris was
ana is accepted az the man to be
chief counsellor of his party at this
crisis. was one of the powerful argu-
mcnts used by his opponents against
ais candidacy for national commit
teemsn. They argued 1t would not
do to allow Harris to leave the state
chairmanShip post at this time.
while less experienced and less pow
erful persons could easily fiji the ma
tional committcemanship place. The
argument. as most all do, had two
SIdcs 10 IT, as the national commit
teeman will not soon be called on to
actin truth the national committee
4. 10.
the state committee for several
weeks. it might be several months.
During that time all the person
elected by the state committee could
do, would be to look wise and-rec-
ommend few candidates for place.
In the latter can be found almost
all OF the meat In the national COM
mittceman race cocoanut--for there
are many. indeed. who seek appoint
ment, Not all can receive what they
ask for: probably some will receive
nothing In any event. the only place
where there would be room for two
republican parties in Oklahoma.
would be where the loaves and
fishes are to be distributed. As the
distributor of those loaves and fishes
has but one supply, even then there
would be a shortage and those who
received oven the smallest portions
would be almost as disappointed as
those who received none.
AT this writing IL appears that
Harris Will be elected national COM
mitteeman or name somo friend.
That viii neither diminish or In
crease the patronage problem, but 1t
would place the state and national
committeeman places In the control
OF "A man who cares less for place
than most men Of affairs, and who
Is at this time determined TO carry
on the work of taking the Oklahoma
democratic machine to an awful fin
lsh; that IL, II there can be one fin
ish more awful to the machine dem
ocrats than the one reached Novem-
Der 2,
Preparing The Feed Trough
Whilst republican leaders have
been spending week over the Sc
lection OF a national mitteeman,
those who have started out To or
ganize the legislature along appro-
priation rather than partisan lines
have been busy and their work
shows above the surface.
Former statements that the legis-
lature Will have to appropriate in
excess OF $4,000 900 for the next
biennial are being revised. and up-
ward. IL must not be underst ood
that those seeking this kind of a
legislative program declare that 1t
will require that much money to
conduct state affairs, for they do not,
but they have "A budget which stag