Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-24

HV"SA Vtsn0Ns AS~NSA Va tAAetAtuSo
For three full gubernatorial terms
the Populists have been in full con
troll and the Republicans last fall re-
turned to entire control Of the state
in all its branches Of government,
comes back torn into factions and
with little prospect Of healing the
differences or Of restoring party disci-
pline. There is general feeling in
the party that Populism is overturn-
ed for good in state affairs and this
makes the effort to control matters
the stronger. 1t was believed when
Senator Thurston was elected to the
senate that be would be able to heal
the troubles but it was vain. He has
been in no sense a harmonizer and
the fact that the party will elect two
senator's without bis name being even
prominently mentioned for one Of the
places, though be is just ending bis
term, is evidence enough as to the
political standing be enjoys with bis
party. Since the organization Of the
state only two senators have been
chosen to succeed themselves, and
Thurston will not make the third.
1t is strange how little thing has
put him at outs with the people Of
the state-merely poem. He has
not been popular at any time. His
friends say that it is because be is
not able as q senator to be "mixer"
and that while be was concerniug,him.
self with the Cuban question jealous
rivals at home plotted his downfall.
Others claim that bis position as an
attorney for large corporations has
alienated him from the common peo-
pie, especially as the west has been
so wrought up-against the encroach-
ments Of capital and the trust feature
Of modern business life. But the
storm broke when be wrote poem to
his present wife.
The first Mrs. Thurston was a
woman OF wide influence and much
loved In the state. She went with
her husband to Cuba when be was in
vestigating the reconcentrado trou-
bles and contracted q disease from
which she died. All parties united
in dong honor to her memory and
when Thurston shortly after began
bis famous speech with, ~ speak at
the behest Of lips now silent, he had
the sympathy Of the entire state.
Not long after there came rumors
OF his attentions to Washington
belle and they we're married little
more than a year later. In the re-
port Of the marriage appeared poem
called 1.-The White Rose" which was
filled with tender sentiment and love.
longing. 1t had been written by the
senator to his new love while he was
wooing her. In itself it was pretty
bit Of love.song but the papers Of
the state saw the other side and near
y every one contained some sort OF a
parody on it. Some we're clever and
some were coarse but all combined to
throw ridicule on the senator and
fairly laughed him out Of his office.
All bis eloquence and dignity we're
forgotten and the papers elaborated
the trivial matters Of his love affair
into prominent proportions. Seldom
II ever in the west has senator been
taken into consideration so little at
the end Of his first senatorial term as
is Senator Thurston.
Fifteen or more men are scrambling
for the oflices-twoIse senators are to be
chosen, one to succeed Allen and the
other to fill the vacancy caused by
Hayward's death. Four OF them are
plainly in the lead and in a sense they
represent the opposing forces that
have in the past enabled the Populist
forces to win. D. +. Thompson, the
political representative Of the Bur-
lington railway system, is at the head
Of one faction. Edward Rosewater,
the uncomfortable editor Of the Oma-
ha Bee, is at the head Of another. He
is a virile and positive force in Ne
braska politics and is so nearly indie
pendent that he does not hesitate to
oppose the Republican ticket at times.
G. D. Meiklejohn is supposed to have
behind him some strong railroad in
fluence outside the Burlington and
also to DO 10 close touch with the ad-
ministraton and federal influences.
Lorenzo Crounze is another leader,
conspicuous by reason Of his personal
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