The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-04-20
rARMsR FUNSTON.

Edward H. Funston, Of the Second
District lie familiarly known as EARN.
er" Funston. He has been living on
prairie farm near lola, Kansas, since
1876. With the possible exception oi
Erastus J. Turner. OF the Sixth Dis.
trict. he is the only farmer in the dele
CATION. "Farmer" Funston is q tall
powerful man, a verltable Hercules IL
appearance. It IL said that his shout
ders are broader than those Of any
man in the HouE, His most remark
able characterisS!G lis his voice. It /.
deep in its tones and extremely loud
and resonant. Some of his more irrev.
erent constituents have given him the
rather euphonious namt of "Foghorn'
Funston. He never uses his voice in
the House to its full capacity, but 1t lie
suspected that should he choose to do
80 he could give Taulbee, of Kentucky;
Symes, of Colorado, and Burnes, OF
Missouri, all points, and then come in
an easy winner.
Mr.. Funston is a native of Ohio, and
has held Office for the last fifteen years.
He became a member of the Kansas
Legislature in 1873; two years later
was made Speaker of the House. ard
subsequently was elected to the State
Senate. He was elected to Congress
in 1884. to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of Dudley G. Haskell, and
has been twice reelected.
Representative Funston spends his
winters in Washington alone. his
familyremaining on the farm at home.
He is hard worker in Congress as he
was on the farm. He occupies a suite
of ROOMS In a semi-fashionable quar-
ter of the city, and here he is to be
found between the closing of one days
session and the opening of the next.
His study fronts on Franklin Square,
and just across the street from his win.
dows are trees and green grass and
flowers. The flowers are not vet
blooming in profusion; and the grass
isn't very luxuriant. but Farmer
Funston thinks
The flowers will bloom in the spring, tra-la,
And the dickey birds sing In the trees.
Under the inspiring influence OF
these Countrywide surroundings
Farmer Funston hopes to endure life
in the city: His study is a picture Of
Western neglige. There is a table
covered with books and papers and
magazines, and other evidences of Q
literary life. They are not systematic
ally arranged, and there are some more
books and papers on the floor and or
the window lodges, Farmer.Funston
in his shirt-sleeves, sits at the table
and writes, or leans back in his big
armchair and reads. Indeed, he il
always busy. He is seldom heard
from in debate, but when he does
speak he gives forth no uncertain
sound. There is no need for the speak
er to call the House to order. Every
body listens. They can't help it
When Farmer Funston lifts up hi.
voice everything else has to suspend
from sheer inability to do otherwise
But Farmer Eunston's particular
ability is that of working member OF
the floor. In the language of the Sun
flowers State he strives with the breth'
rem in person. He il convincing il
his arguments, and appears at Lis best
when engaged in animated converse.
ton.
Farmer Funston is . great friend O
Representative Turner, and frequently
takes occasion to 'corner" the young
est member of the Kansas delegation
and tell him new story. Upon occa'
sions of this kind Farmer Funston il
profuse with his gestures, and enjoys
the diversion apparently as much al
Farmer Turner does.