The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1879-01-23
Kansas yiefssituAes.

The subject of the vicissifudcs Of Kansas pol
ificisns has bsen recalled to mind by the elec-
tiou Of Sidney Clarke to the Speakenhip. He
once controlled the political patronage of the
State, and had unlimited SUNS of money at his
command. whenever he had occasion to call for
it. Bot of late years, il has bees laid of him
that he is Every poor" and without means Of
support.
1t is but few months since one who once oc-
cupied very high public position in the Stat,,
and carried on . private business in which hun
dreds Of thousands were invested, was following
the occupation Of gambling with greenborns
railroad trains, aud fleeing them by means of
marked cards.
few years ago, person occupied one Of the
highest Judicial positions in the State, and was
possessed Of q handsome property. friend re-
Gently told us that, few months since, he hap
pened in . certain Kansas city, and was taking
. walk early in the morning. He chanced to
recollsct that the person above alluded to lived
there, and meeting man, inquired about him.
The man replied that the person picked up
precarious living by peddling milk to citizens,
and spent most Of his time in the little doggery
opposite to where they were standing, bumming
acquaiutances who came In to treat him !; add
ing, that if our friend would stand there for
few moments, he would probably see him, as it
was about bis time to be along. Sure enough,
in few moments, he saw the person, miser-
able looking wreck, shamble into the saloon.
We have since learned that his poverty is still
greater, as he now has no COW to furnish milk
to peddle.
We remember man who, but Q very short
time ago, was accounted one Of the money kings
of the State. He bought and sold politicians,
and "paid the checks" of men in high position.
He is now stepped in poverty, and is slowly dy-
ing of an incurable disease, snbsisting the
her oyn fortune.
1t has just been written Of one who was but
recently wealthy aud powerful in politics, that
his influence counted for nothing, he was
without money or friends.
man known to all the old politicians Of Kan
sas, as one Of the shrewdest workers in the
State, who used to control Conventions and
lead Legislatures, is said now to be miserably
poor, living Oh the crumbs that he can gather
from his friends.
few years ago, Western Kansas had busi-
ness man whose name was good for tens of thou
sands in any transaction. His operations reach
ed beyond the boundaries of the State, and his
means were unlimited. As politician, his in-
fuencc was absolute in his section of the State.
But few days since, he was begging subordi
nate clcrkship in the Legislature, as q means of
present support.
A man formerly Of large wealth and political
influence in fhe Southern part of the State, is
now an inmate of the penitentisry; and another,
Of equal wealth and influence, in the Northern
part of the State, is fugitive in foreign land,
eking out living by the lowest species of
gambling and confidence games.
former Territorial Governor is earning O liv-
ing as a compositor on q country newspaper;
and another recently died pauper, bis family
selling articles of clothing to buy medicine for
him. A former United States Senator is pub
fishing newspaper that is scarcely known out
side of the town in which it is published. The
most powerful man the State ever knew, is
buried in a suicides grave, and two Con-
gressmen are in lunatic asylums. The list might
be extended to columns but the foregoing are
sufficient to show that politics is trade that
is more uncertain and disastrous than pork and
grain specializing.