The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-23
that honest, rugged Kansan, Preston


b. Plumb.
THE OLD COMRADES.
For eighteen years another old Kan
san gave name and fame to the state
as our senator. Truly it was his, the
applause Of listening senateS to COM
mand." No senator of ancient Rome
ever bore himself with more grace and
dignity; his comprehensive statesman
snip the beauty of his rhetoric and the
charm of his eloquence fascinated all;
in learning. debate, parliamentary skill
and the power of invective he was the
equal OF the elder Pitt In the years to
come the historian writing of the senate
will set his name down NTH Clay, Web
Ster, Sumner and Seward.
Kansas developed jurist who was
deemed worthy to be one of the judges
of the highest judicial tribunal of the
nation. His learning and ability VIII
enrich the jurisprudence of the world
as did Marshall's, the great interpreter
of the constitution. Other names might
De mentioned with equal propriety;
these are but types, significant of the
active Intelligent citizenship which the
settlement of Kansas has developed.
They belong TO the "old crowd" they
we've -.old settlers"
Now / desire To speak of the class or
character of those who came down into
this valley at so early a period as TO
entitle them to be members OF this or
ganization: they were unlike those who
proceeded them and settled along the
Missouri river. the Kaw, Big Blue.
Usage, Wakarusa, Marias des CygIe
and tho Neosho, in the earlier and he
roic days Of Kansas history.
Thus many of them were already
cid -kanSans and were Of the type
which l have described: men who had
helped to make Kansas a free state
-h0 bod e,xa lsYaSr
bands and ruffians; emissaries of the
slave holding olisarchy who sought TO
dominate and control the Territory.
They were familiar with pioneer life
and all its har6ships; IN their mere
youthful days they had graduated from
the best of schoois-E,xperience.
One Of these with a confidence which
could not be weakened believed that
here in this section great agricultur-
al community could be established AMI
that a beautiful city might be built, the
metropolis and pride of Kansas. he
has lived to see that dream almost re-
ality; his genius, faith and energy have
been conseerated 10 this work; the same
ability and protracted toll in many oI
the great cities of the country would
have been rewarded by the richest
fruits OF successful jouInalism--wealth
and fame.
His fellow pioneers and associates
shared the same confidence in the re-
sponsihilities OF the coantry- They
have changed the map of vest sec
ton of country; that which was once
marked desert now correctly =InQl =
Gates that IL is broad expanse 0f
farms. the occupants living quite As We'll
as those in the older states; cities and
towns have been built. churches, COL
lsges and school houses everywhere.
CREED WAS NOT KNOWN.
These men were rs generous rs they
were brave: the blizzard was never 50
bad. but what they would give a neigh
Dor needed help; the bottom OF the bar
Tel would be scraped to feed the hun
sry; greed had not frozen the genial
currents of their souls. The new COM
or was always welcomed with open hos
pitality limited only by necessity. II
they sold their claims or corner lots al
good prices. they believed in all SINGER.
ity that they We're giving them snap
and doing p favor. They demonstrated
their unbounded confidence in the fo-
ture capabilities and proba hilities OF
the country.
Many of the early settlers not unlike