The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-25

| limited by the number of places that
| could be arranged at the table. The
meeting of the club has become a fixed
| and i'm portant political event in Kan
SaS politics and Kansas history.
1.-The unwritten law of the club is
that no one shall be allowed to speak
second time, and that the younger ele-
ment of the party shall be the part
from which the orators shall be chosen
Out of the membership of the club have
come nearly all of the state officers,
congressman and Republican leaders of
the decade. Most of the speakers are
usually in the class that may be called
the unknown and many a political
reputation has been made and career
begun by q cspeech at the Kansas Day
club banquet"
Each year some native Kansan re-
spends to the toast Kansas, and
many pretty sentiments have been Of
fered. about the Sunf1ower state. The
first year this toast was given by Frank
G.. Crowell, of AtchiSon. Crowen has
never become prominent in state poll
tics, but he has held county Offices
That year Ed Little talked about Some
Young Fellows" Little was consul gen
eral to Egypt and attained a high place
in the Republican ranks. In 1896 he was
among the 4seceders from the Republi-
can party on the silver issue. He was
made leader among the Populists and
at one time had a boom for United
States senator.
At this same banquet George L. Doug
lass, of Wichita spoke. The next year
Douglass made history as the speaker
of the house during the famous legis-
lative war and the Sledge hammer with
which he battered down the door of
Representative hall, is now in the State
Historical society. Later he left the
state and made a success of the legal
profession in Chicago
1t was in 1892, also, that Chester l.
Long told his version of 'McF'Iimsey
for congress- What his story was about
can be guessed by his opening sentence,
II
his feet" Later MI Long himself de-
feated ''McF'limsey for congress-" and
now represents the big Seventh dis
trict in Washington.
at that first banquet who is now in con-
gress William Allen White talked
about Our Foreign Relations" but
failed to mention any but Missouri.
hell, Texas, the kingdom of heaven and
Washington, D. c. White was still
writing poetry in those days and he
closed his speech with some homemade
verses.
programme were ]. K. Cubbison, after
wards state senator from Wyandotte
county; c. S. Finch, of the Lawrence
Journal, the present president of the
club P. P. Campbell of Pittsburg, who
has boom for congress in the Third
district; Ed P. Greer, of the W1nheld
Courier, and Judge T. B. Wall, of Wich-
ita-
The next year, 1893, Charles E. Lob
dell made the Kansas speech. Lobden
became speaker of the house, chief clerk
of Governor Stanley, district judge
provided he can persuade the supreme
court to see things his way.
That same year Ewing Herbert, Chas.
M Harger and Dell Valentine were
among the speakers. Dawes became at
torney general two years later. Bone
came to the legislature, secured a good
in1 Qf7d vigorous
boom for attorney general
In 1894 W. F. Guthrie gave the Kan
sas toast. That was the year that Jas.
A Troutman made his famous speech
on s'The First land Last Peoples Party
Government on Earth The following
wear Troutman was elected Lieutenant
governor. He may be governor next
year.
: Zoe Bristow became factor in state
politics that year, largely through his
Kansas Day speech. The following
summer he made his influence felt IN
the Republican state convention, be-
came secretary of the state committee,
then Governor Morrilis private secre-
tary. helped Cyrus Leland fix the state
for Mckinley, and then was appointed
fourth assistant postmaster general.
T. s West talked about THE Young
Crowd at that banquet. Judge West |
served on the district bench, was ap-
pointed assistant attorney general, and |
is now in a fair way to succeed to the |
generals office.
In 1895 Judge Hook made a speech. |
Later he got the best federal job in |
Kansas Other familiar names on that |
were r. M. Picker, of Man
kato; Ed H. Madison of Dodge City, |
and A. W. Dana of Topeka.
1t was in 1896 that Frank Nelson |
made the speech which brought him into
and two years later gave
him his present place in the state house
In 1896, too, w. ]. Bailey made a speech
that sent him to congress the next fall, I
and now he has a boom for governor.