The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-05
anything he WANTS
lola People, Funston's Neigh
bors, Say He Can Have.
STATES SENATOR
Is the Least Thing Mentioned
Sketch of His Career.
UNITED STATES SENATOR

Fred Funston, the hero Of Luzon, says:
Kansans are happy over the promotion
of Colonel Fred Funston to a brigadier
generalship and declare there is nothing
in Kansas he may want and cannot have.
At the same time an indication Of what
he may get is on the tongues Of his fol-
low-townsmen of lola 1t IS nothing less
than a seat in ths United States senate.
This, they say, is as easily within his
reach as the position Of town marshal Of
lola.
Ex-Congressman 'Fog-Horn" Funston,
father of Brigadier General Fred Funston,
told the correspondent of The Chicago
Tribune this afternoon that his son should
ask for no Office of less dignity than that
of a member Of the United States senate.
"I am for Fred for the place, too," he
said. 81 do not think he will go into poll
ties but if he does it will be as a candidate
for the senate. Kansas has no senators
now The Offices are vacant so far as
ability goes. If Fred is going to ask for
anything, let him ask for something worth
having"
White flags were floating from every
flagstaff in the town today in honor Of the
new brigadier. who won his star as
fighter, and everybody in the streets were
congratulatink Kansas in having hero
of such proportions, they were talking Of
what he would do in a political way when
ne got back to this state, where politics
is played by experts.
lola is the home town Of General Fun
ston and here the feeling of pride IN this
son of Kansas runs at food height. AS
soon as the news reached here this morn
ing bulletins were posted on the four cor
ners of the public square and in front of
the offices of the local papers.
Crowds gathered about them as soon a
they were stuck UP, and since then the
people here have been talking Of little else.
They have been busying thmselves recall
ing the hundreds of things in the life of
the mild-mannered youth that are taken
now as evidences of his greatness and sign
boards along the road to greatness.
The home of the Funstons of four miles
north of lola on a farm. 1t is one mile
west OF Carlyle, a flag station on the
Santa Fe road, which is the postofice adj
dress of the family. The father of the
soldier Edward H. Funston, who repre-
scented this district in congress for eleven
years and who is now engaged in filling
the farm, was at work in the field today
when a correspondent of The Tribune
drove to the farm with the news OF his
sons promotion.
81 suppose there Is no mistake that this
is true" he said, as if he doubted the
good news. When he was assured that
dispatches had been received from Wash
ington confirming a report that had been
received in the morning, he started for the
house 70 give the news to Mrs. Funston.
~ must tell Fred's mother" said he.
''She has a right to receive the news first
A quiet, retiring woman came into the
room that serves as a study for the farmer
lawmaker. She was smiling, and it seemed
as if a tear had been brushed from her
big, brown eyes only a moment before.
She is a little woman, Weighing less than
100 popnds and seems fragile beside the
giant figure of her husband. He weighs
more than 200 pounds and is six feet and
two inches in height. It was plain to see
he was proud of his soldier son and that
she was not a bit less filed with genuine
pride in the fame which was being heaped
on her boy. Her silence was an eloquent
of praise as she restrained expressions
that fell IN rumbling tones from the lips
of the herculanean husband and father.
This is the young man who brought
the news Of Freds promotion said Mr..
Funston, and Mrs. Funston bowed and
smiled.
He came all the way from Chicago to
tell US that Fred was a brigadier general
She only smiled incredulously at the
pleasantly.
But he does tell me, however" he add
ed by way Of apology for the jest, that
Fred is talked great deal about in Chi
cago."
q hope they speak well Of my boy"
she said half TREMENDOUSLY. IF they knew
him as well as we do they would know
he deserves it"
'"They know he is agreatsoldier."
Yes, Fred is a good boy. But I wish
he were back at home again"
IF Fred comes back TO us alive" said
the father, turning from ths window,
where he had been looking in the distance
abstractedly. He had evidently been
thinking along the same line as Mrs.
Funston.
There is talk OF making him governor
OF Kansas it was suggested.
no, Fred does not want that. That
IS not worth his effort. The people Of
Kansas are proud Of Fred I know that.
do not know what the people Of other
states think. but in his own state they
are proud OF him. II ne should run for
anything K should be for the United States
senate. He should seek an Office worthy
OF him.
I'VE had better wait until he returns be
fore We talk OF these things" said Mrs /
Funston. He VII come back TO Us, too. |
I'm sure he Will
He seems TO lead a charmed Ife." II
was suggested.
Yes, You know said Mrs Funston, /
shat the Greeks fought under The shield 4
or their favorite god. Wen I'm not pa
san. nut have a BELIEF in the Christian
lied version OF that doctrine OF the an !
c.ents and 7 hope 20 see my boy back. 7 I
wishe he were here now"
The tinge Of sadness never once was 4
lifted from the atmosphere. While father 1
and mother evidenced their e-stioa the 4
shadow Of apprehension was always pres
ent
The father Of the young hero has bsen
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS rnsNNoOononr~rnN&