Wichita eagle., 1888-11-16
OUR COMING SOLONS-

OUR COMING soLoNs.
From the Newton Republican.
1t will probably be said of the mex
legislature SIS has been said of all its pre-
decessors, that it is the "brainiest'' tha
ever met at the capital, but there vii
| probably be no occasion for the distinc
ton. There are differences in legisla
tures-we would nave no trouble il
designating the meanest legislature tina
ever met in Kansas-but in the matter o
ability the legislature of Kansas reflect
the average mentality of the state
Should the general Kansas head sud
denly assume Websterian proportions, i
is probable that the legislative knowledg,
box would show the new growth in thu
size of the hats in the cloak rooms. bu
the rule is, as the state, so is the legisla
ture; the stream does not rise above th,
fountain, but, OF Course. the altitude OF
| the fountain is respectable.
| The political waves that swept over the
state leave their marks on the legisIa
ture. Some interesting difference:
might be noticed in the structure of past
assemblies; and judging from the past
the coming legislature will be ultra Re
| publican; a case of Republican straight
There will be very little reform" about
| it and a general indifference to the voice
of the Mic'adder crying in the Kansa:
| wilderness. 1t may be an excellent
working legislature, nevertheless.
In looking hurriedly over the list o!
senators and representatives there are
here and there names which afford a
hookssto hang comment on.
The presiding officer of the senate
will be Hon. Andrew j. Felt. who will
be in more ways than one the successor
of Lieutenant Governor Riddle While
probably not so skiilful parliamenta-
rlan as Mr.. Riddle-than whom there
are few better-he possesses the same
mental alertness, the same humor and
elements of personal popularity. Should
his physical strength prove equal to the
demand of the place, Lieutenant Gov
ernor Felt as president of the senate,
will attain the honor of having his por-
trait hung in the rooms of the State
Historical society by vote of the SEN
ate.
The 'old man" of the senate, as far
as his Kansas age goes, will be the Hon.
Thomas A. Osborn, OF Shawnee.
He almost alone, dates back to the Ter
ritorial period" as public man; and in
matter of distinguished service will be
easily the ranking member. In the mat
ter of long residence and familiarity with
Kansas, Hon. T. B. Murdock, of Butler,
will rank with the first, and there is an
other excellent veteran, Hon. Edwin
Tucker, of Greenwood, who returns to
the senate after an interval approaching
twenty years. Over against these who
are getting down the slope, there is big
squad of young fellows remarkably
bright-eyed, as Hardness, of Clay, Rich
ter, OF Morris: Emery, of Nemaha;
Berry, of Marshall, and Johnson,
of Jefferson. Between the old ones
and young ones, are those who
have been service, as our own Senator
Kelly; Schilling of Brown: Wright of
Davis; Rush of Larned McTaggart of
Montgomery, and Forney of Sumner.
Sedgwlck sends 0. H. Bentley. with his
spurs to win. The law business of SEN
ate will be transacted by Buchan, of
Wyandotte; Mohler, of Salina, and Gil
lette, of kingman. There are other
lawyers, but these combine the most ex-
perience both in making laws and telling
what they mean after they are made.
Harvey and Mcpherson counties have
the satisfaction of knowing that their
can ''hold up his end" with any
of his colleagues. Senator Moody viii
be the poet of the senate, and Senator
Carroll, the soldier.
In looking over the wider expanse of
the house it is difficult to distinguish any
figures.
The dean of the house will be James
F. Legate, of Leayenworth, that old
county being the stamping ground OF the
"old men" both III the senate and house.
The great mass of representatives may
be counted as new men, though many
like Steele. of Harvey, have had expert
ence, if not in the legislature at least
around it. There Is quite a large pro-
portion OF newspaper men, as Rice, of
Bourbon; Hoch. of Marion: Campbell,
Of Cowley; Davies, Of Republic, Tripiett,
of Wichita: Kenea, OF Linn, and Admire,
of Usage. They represent both the old
and new in legislation. They are all
good newspaper men. The "hardy pio-
neer'' is represented by C. J. Jones, of
FInney. and by w. D. Street, of Deca-
5ur, who has killed as many buffalo as
Jones and has caught more wild horses. |
1 mere GIt SEfbsdl OI.l OuSiiitSo i&l-I iiA
the house who. while they keep their |
Eve on the old flag, viii not let an appro /
oriation get away from them; among /
.hese are John II. Rankin. of Douglas, |
and Veale and AlcAee, of Shawnee. The !
alker of the house if he stays on the /
1oor. and speaker If he can be elected, |
will be J. 2. Burton, of Dickinson. Cap
ain Henry Booth, of Larnei, gentle |
nan who rises somewhat earlier than /
he lark, will, however, accept the /
if the house desires II. /
\ man Of commanding ability wherever I
le has been tried, is Pastor Swenson,
f Mcpherson. lie strikes new ground
n the legislature His friends will
watch his course with interest. The
northwest sends several good safe men,
mong them L. S. Tucker, OF Mitchell,
nd Z. 7. Walrond, of Osborne. With
he northwesters may be counted the
enerable B. j. T. Hanna. Of Trego, once
he western-most" editor In Kansas.
,hautauqua sends the first colored
OF a Kansas legislature, The Rev.
Alfred Fairfax The native Americans
argely preponderate, though there are
xo WelchInen. Davies. Of Republic, and
)avies, OF Riley.