The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-01
SENATOR RaKR At Home.

One of the most fascinating men thai
ever stepped upon platform TO sway
an audience 10y i single look or simple
gesture. and before whose added words
adyersaries went down, set the pace for
Kansas politicians, which has never
been quite forgotten. If, Us has often
commonwealth it was conceived OF
been asserted. one-half of the popula-
ton Of Kansas are politicians, the
other half seem 10 the same manner
born. 1t is a heredity strain. projecting
itself into each succeeding crop Of Sun
fiowerites. Senator Lucien Baker as
enc of the heirs apparent Of These sui
generis environments, and later as the
crowned prince. has had his staying
qualities thoroughly tried and tested.
Having no senatorial colleague with
whom to divide responsibilities, and
but TWO congressman ont of a delega-
ton of eight With whom to consult as
to the distribution Of the federal pat
ronage CT a new administration. he mas
had 10 deal. single-handed, with thou
sands of individual applicants for Of
flee and stand as umpire where the an
Tagonistic interests were strong and the
combinations which upheld them not TO
he ignored. \ Many an older and more
experienced senator with less OF natur-
al tact. deliberation and firmness.
would have gone down under the
pressure. Refraining from precursory
promises, and patiently waiting the
complete summing up Of each case ne
has evidently made few mista kes, either
for the interests of the administration,
those of his party or himself Person
al preference, sympathy or sentiment
seem TO have in no instance unduly
swayed him, but philOSophicaliy consid-
ering each claim and judiciousiy meas
uring general results, he has not been
behind in his final findings. In the
meanwhile he in no wise neglected his
duties to his people or party in the SEN
ate until tae gayel fell for the sine die
and the president had signed the tariff
measure which in making the duty on
lumber light. protects, as far as posi-
bile, the products of Kansas, not omit
ling hides or gypsum.
Kansas senator arrived at his Leay-
enWorth home on Friday and in an IN
telview in the Times in referring To the
great national measure which has just
become the law OF the land, says that
he thinks it the best measure since tie
war. in that it affords greater protection
10 industrial life, in that it is i'll the i'll
terest. also. Of TIE farmer. Senator
Baker does not believe that the bill
creating currency commission can
pass the senate; that the measure pass
ed 10y the house in response 10 the
presidents special message VIII sleep
in the rooms Of the finance committee
unless it is converted into a free silver
bill. He further expresses the conyic-
ton that bur money will all be good
Tor AT least four years, with dollars all
equal, as DO change in the tariff bill
can occur within that period. AS for
his own state, its financial and indus
trial conditions, he IS persuaded that
the present, nor the outlook, Of any
slate are more encouraging.
Touch.ng civil service muSwumpery.
the senator entertainS emphatic convic
lions, which coincide with those 80
often expressed 10y the Eagle. He says
that it is the most stupendous political
fraud OF the nineteenth century; that at
best it should only be applied to certain |
departments of the government, such |
a. the railway mail service, the /
weather bureau, the geological survey I
and other branches where technical /
knowledge and experience are requisite /
10 satisfactory service in all not over |
fifteen or eighteen thousand places. 4 /
civil service examination is no test of /
Il mans ability 10 acceptably discharge /
the duties of Il public office No bust |
ness man would think Of employing /
such q rule in the selection OF valuable |
assistants. ami he believes that in the /
face of Cleveland's attempt to fix and /
permanently retain an hundred thou
sand of his parJiSans in office, that
civil service ought 10 be made a square
issue next year.
This expression Of Il well-tested CON
viction leads Us back TO the opening
sentence Of this article. If. after all |
that Senator Baker has undergone in
the way Of isai.oisensss from i oiltieal /.
aSpiranrs. in ths sasts> foss Ses> ne s
months has failed 10 convert him TO
5he theory Of an ariStocracy of office
holders, the thing must he what he de-
scribeS H. "A scupendous fraud" 1t is
evident that he would rather person
ally. undergo the annoyance of persist
snt application from ambitious patriots
that that preferred people be settled.
for life, in easy positions over thou
sands Of jUSt as capable and far more
deserving men.
--s-----------------
THY WOULDN'T FIGHT.