The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-16
DOESN'T FEEL SORRY.
Ex-G Gov. Lewelling Talks About
His Two Years Experience
NOW THAT he is OUT OF IT.

says He Wouldn't Recommend a
Young Man to Enter Polite al Life
Not Disappointed in His Admins
trat1On.
Ex-Governor l. D. Lewelling left last
evening for his home in Wichita.
The governor was in his happiest mood
when JOURNAL reporter called upon
him shortly before his departure for
home. That troubled, serious look SO
familiar to those who have met him in
his office was gone and smiles of salts
faction chased the wrinkles up and down
the countenanceS of the man who has
presided over the destinies of the state
for the past two years.
"Well, Governor, what do you think of
political life, now?" asked the reporter.
Il do not feel disappointed. leave
my Office without many vain regrets.
While am not unmindful of the honors
attendant upon the high position l have
held, still l am not sorry to leave it and
retire to the life of a private citi-
zen. l have always believed and
that belief has been strengthened
now by experience that it is not wise for
young man to go into politics.
81 mean by that to make business of
it He is sure to find out sooner or later
that the apples will turn to ashes in his
hand. Let the ambition of young man
rather be to found a happy home There
he will find contentment and happiness.
IN Notwithstanding the assaults which
have been made upon me, retire to
private life with no bitterness and truly
at peace with all the world 1 shall har-
Dor no i'll feeling, and l feel that | have
made many warm personal friends, not
| only in my own party but among the
members of all the parties
HAS your administration been a dis
appointment to your" inquired the re-
porter
The ex-governor hesitated a moment
as if weighing his words before uttering
| them.
NO." he responded, it has not been a
disappointment 1 anticipated trouble
and even the legislative trouble I fore
saw. l believed from the first that the
| Populists had elected a majority of the
house two years ago and still believe
/ so, but before the legislature convened
! talked the matter over with George
Douglass. I foresaw the difficulty and
we talked about the results up to the
time the legislature met | was placed
in very delicate position when the su-
preme hour came [ felt that whichever
horn of the dilemma l took would result
in my political death, but believing that
the Dunsmore house was the lawful
body, how could l do otherwise than
recognize it. | felt that the action would
kill me politically when l took it and
was greatly surprised when it did not
| was really surprised when my party
rallied to my support and stayed with
me-"
"Do you now regret any of your Off
cial actions?"
mo; with the exceptions of a few
pardons. There are some of these which
l would recall now if | could, but / did
not act from any motive but the right
one"
''And your appointments-do you think
you made mistakes in them?"
"a good deal of political capital has
been made or attempted to be made out
of my appointments, l know, and when
there was flaw it has been greatly ad-
vertised by the opposition papers. The
same amount of advertising with any of
the administrations preceding mine
would, am satisfied, have had the sam
result 1t is just like it was after the
. war. The men killed we're not greatly
talked about; it was the men who came
home that made the talk. So it was
with nv appointments The good ones
were not talked about. but the bad ones
. were worked with all the force of parti-
san bias. / rever made but one removal
for personal reasons and that was John
F. Willis"
! "Do you think your appointees should
resign at once?"
s'No; l see no reason why they should
not serve out their terms" replied the
governor. ''You have observed that
did not make any appointments to take
effect after my term expired. They were
: all to fill unexpired terms. We allowed
the Republican officers to serve out their
l terms except in one case, the superin-
= tendent of insurance, and l did not favor
: his removal. All the members of the
state board of health appointed are only
2 for the unexpired terms and | want tina
g understood"
3 But you presented the names of the
/ old board to the senate first, did you not
GOVERNOR"
"Yes, it is true that I did, but there
J was great deal of opposition in the
senate to their confirmation, and desir-