The morning news., 1896-12-28
A sOcIALIsTIC CHIEF JUSTICE.
TOpsy-Turvy Opinions of the Man
kansas Has Elected.

From the New York Press.
One of the most interesting personalities
that the election has brought to the front
is that of Frank Doster, chief justice-elect
of the supreme court of Kansas. Just
what political sect the judge belongs to
is a question. The monopolists say that
he is an anarchist Republicans generally
call him socialist. Populists claim him,
and with some Justice, for he was elected
chief justice on the peoples party ticket,
But he is not a mere haranguer agitator
and disturber. like Tilman, Pennoyer or
BLOODY Brides" Waite. In 1878 he went
TO the legislature as a republican, and in
1873 he was the greenback nominee for
congress. Frank Doster was born in Vir-
ginia in 1S43 He served through the war
in the Indiana cavalry and married in 1866
Caroline Riddle, 1.-The brightest woman in
illinois,"
Mrs. Doster wrote for papers and period
icalS in the days when the controversy be-
tween the orthodox clergy and agnostcs
was at its hight. Judge Doster has been
thinker all his life. He has brooded on
social problems, and, while not ready yet
to publish to the world his plan to regen-
crate society, he has said some things
laid them down as fundamental PROPOSE
tions-which are startling. The one that
made the most talk is this: THE rights
of the users of a thing are paramount to
the rights of its owners"
He holds also that only those things
man uses himself such as his house,
his clothes, lns luXuries, his carriage and
horses, his toools, are absolutely his own,
regardless of any one else, but that his
railways, lands, powder magazines, baker
res, etc, belong partly to the users Own
ership is a trustee for use. The owner Is
the trustee for the user, and Is entitled to
consideration as trustee and as nothing
else. The use of capital, particularly land
capital, he declares is a higher function
than ownership. THE man who uses land
is a better man than the man who uses
money raised through the ownership of
land, other tnings being equal"
Judge Doster also o ds that the privilege
OF owning means of transportation, large
tracts of land to rent, stock yards, manu-
factories of necessities, lighting systems
and street-car lines should be subject to
public supervision
Ia speaking of the recent hard times in
Kansas, Judge Doster remarked: "It seems
that the beginning and the end of discon-
tent is caused by the ease in borrowing
money in the expanded period 1t would
have been far better for the people OF Kan
sas IL they had been unable to borrow
money. There is nothing worse than the
elevation of the money-lending business to
the chief rank. II Is artificial, injurious
and a menace to society," These are the ut
terances that have called down on the
head Of Judge Doster the most varied
collection of opprobrious epithets IN the
history Of language. In the meantime, he
lives quietly In his cottage on the hill in
Marion, Marion county, and pays strict
attention to business. He knows what he
thinks and while his enemies and some
Of his friends are wrangling as to whether
he belongs to this party or to that, he saws
wood
In person he suggests MacauIey's ia
nous word picture of Warren Hastings.
I'm person small and emacated, yet de-
irving dignity from a carriage indicating
at once habtual possession and self
respect. a high and intellectual forehead
a brow Densive, but not gloomy" He Is
"A Well-preserved man. utterly without pre-
tensions. He wears a "hand-me-down." a
gapping stand-uD collar, string tie in a
hard knot, a slOuch hat and square-toed
shoes. Those who see him do not forget
him easily; those who hear him, never.