The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-09-21
FOR SENATOR: PRESTON B.
PLUME.

eSSlOu OF the Legislature. ~ uSCAo4C .
reference fer Preston B. Plumb as his
,wn successor, which the Capital here
md now takes pleasure in doing, is
imply to "fall in" with general and
WE'LL defined popular sentiment through
,ut the state. Only one man could
make the race aga INST him with any
show of success-Gov. st. John, to-wit;
and we are authorized to say, once for
all, that he is not, and will not be a can
didate under any circumstances There
is no reason, therefore, why Plumb
should not be returned by practically
Republican vote; and GER
tainly there are abundant reasons why
the State which he has served with such
conspicuous industry and ability should
manifest its appreciation of him in q
manner the most pronounced and COM
plimentarY.
1t is hardly necessary to recount the
story Of Senator Plumb's career in Kan
sas. Coming here at an early day, he
has "grown up with the country" in the
truest and best sense. He is e typical
Kansan, and illustrates personally, to an
extent that few other men do, the char
acteristic pluck, sagacity and self-re-
lance which have made the state noted
and powerful. The future historian will
hardly be able to write single page OF
our history in war or peace, in trade OF
politics, in great public enterprises OF
in important progressive movements
without mention of his name. He il
emphaficaliy a product Of our own soil
a specimen grown and Fipened under
our own sun, a man familiar by expert
ence with every phase of Kansas life
and loyal in all his impulses to the best
interests and the highest aspirations Of
the state. BY his own exertions, he has
impressed himself upon our affairs In G
way that is al once honorable to himself
and advantageous TO the people; and in
no way can we better show both recOg.
milton of merit and regard for our own
welfare than by cordially uniting to keep
him where he is for another term.
If we were to attempt full account
of his work in the senate, we should
have to name every measure concerning
Kansas that has been before congress
since he went there, for be has been al
the front in advancing and pushing
them all. Without detracting in any
degree from his colleagues in both
houses, we may properly say that
Plumb has shown himself the practical
man of the dslegation-the man who
gets things through, and looks ont to
see that Kansas has her share of what
is going. He has not obtained an Office
for everybody who wanted it, to be sure,
though he has accomplished great
deal in that direction; but since he be-
came senator the state has been allowed
in money and lands enough to pay of
her entire debt; one public building has
been gained, aud another one provided
for; two military reservations have been
VACATED, and 10000 acres of Indian
lands put into market; reimbursements
have been obtained tor the frontier
sufferers at the hands of the raid
ing Cheyennes in 1878: large appro-
pristions have been secured for Fort
Leavenworth, where at least $4,000
will be expended this y0arI and so we
might 60 on particularizing the substan.
tial benefits derived by the state during
the last five years. Not all the credit
belongs to Senator Plumb, Of course, but
he has given specis! attention to these
matters, and his skill and energy have
been brought to bear upon them with
force. At the same time, he
has exerted himself day and night in be-
half of individual constituents, and no
request has been too small fol, him to
pass over without an effort to serve the
person, however obscure, who asked his
help.
The estimation in which Senator
Plumb Is held by his associates and his
party is strikIngly shown by the fact
that, though still in his first term, he is
chairman of the public lands coFmittee
and a member of the committee on agri-
culture, and of that most important
of all committees, on appropriations.
These positions have afforded
him uncommon opportunities for
usefulness, and he has improved them
zealously not only in the interest of his
own state, but of the country at large, as
witness his effective support Of the bill
to give the farmers a cabinet Office and
his promotion of all measures for the
benefit of commerce and the develop
ment of new fields of labor. Though
not an orator, he has more than once
attracted national attention by his
speeches on topics of general concern.
At the last session, he made concededly
one of the clearest and strongest speeches
on finance and his handling of the In
dian question, as all Kansans remem-
Der, was signally thorough and bril-
liant. The prominence he has so rap
idly attained is conclusive proof OF
his talent and determination, for he
went to the senate stranger, and new
men do not advance there as he has done
unless their qualifications are remarka-
bic. How much more potent such a
man becomes by being reelected on his
merits and without any scramble, we
need not stop TO point out. Surely the
time has come in Kansas when an &C.
currence OF that kind may be
expected. He is q man who has fairly
won the right to another term without
the necessity of fighting for it in the
fashion which has made our politics so
violent and disreputable. Why not join
hands, for once, and choose a senator
decently and in order, when the man
who deserves it may be easily decided
upon! 1t all rests with the people. The
whole thing can be and should be, and
we believe it will be, so conclusively
settled in the November election that
the legislature will only have to ratify
verdict already rendered. The plan of
candidates on the senatorial
issue is q good one and worthy of gen.
eral imitation. It is the right OF the
people-it is their duty, indeed-to
make known their preference in this
matter. They know as well now as they
will next January who they want for
senator; and it is the part of wisdom
and of prudence TO name their choice,
and thus leave no room for mistake or
disappointment-for Plumb's defeat, by
any of the arts peculiar to such contests,
would be both q mistake and q disap-
pointment. not TO say q reproach also.
There died in Delaware county, Penn
sylVania, one day last week, a prosper
Gus and generally esteemed farmer,
nearly 100 years of age, who for forty
years had never spoken a word to his
wife, nor had she to him, nor had any
one of their five children, of whom
three with their mother are still living,