The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-15
Republican of

the Seventh Kansas district. where he
is one of the most influential members,
rather than go to the senate where it
might take him four or i've years TO at
tain p-epinence.
An intimate friend of Mr.. Long sta
ted in an interview in the State Journal
some time ago that Long would doubt
less prefer to remain in the house, where
he had q prominent place on the ways
and means committee, rather than go
into the senate and take a back seat
for number of years, if it were not for
the fact that he has to go through a
long, hard fight for his place every two
years-for there is no Disgusting the
fact that the Republican congressman
from the Seventh congressional district
has fight on his hands at election time,
and 1t is a hard fight to make, owing
to the bad railroad facilities and the
great stretches of country that have to
be covered with a team.
Since then Mr.. Long has made rapid
strides forward. He has probably solv-
ed the problem of Cuban reciprocity
and has become the representative of
President Roosevelt in the house. This
gives him special prominence and opens
before him avenues for still further ad-
vancement. Speaker Henderson is op-
posed to President Roosevelt's recipro-
cal policy and to the measure advoca ted
by Mr.. Long. If Long is successful in
that a future congress might make him
speaker. If he should remain on the
floor he would at least maintain a high
place as leader, and there is a posi-
bility that his name might go into his
tory as the author of financial policy,
as did that of President Mckinley, when
he was member of congress.
Then, too, if Mr.. Long should go to
the senate it would mean that he would
have to take a back seat in that body
for several years. Senatorial dignity
demands that new cOmerS shall be seen
and not heard. 1t is three or four Years
before they are allowed to have prom
inent part in senatorial councils, not
Withstanding any prominence they may
have attained in the lower house.
But on the other hand United States
senator is a great deal larger man in
Washington than a mere congressman
Washington is very un-democratfc
There is a great deal of caste about
Washington life. and a senator ranks
several grades higher than a congress-
man. For this reason it is the anbi-
tfon of congressman TO become United
States senators, and it may be that Mr..
Long would prefer to take senatorial
toga and rest in comparative obscuritv
for a time rather than continue in his
exalted place in the house. His friends
viii not cease their labors in his behalf
at any rate.
Mr.. Long has never yet announced
at least publicly that he will be a can
didate for United States senator. and
II ne Should conclude to retain his pres
ent seat, it viii probably leave the SEN
atorial contest to a straight fight be-
tween Congressman Curtis and Cover
nor Stanley, with a possibility that Con-
gresham Bowersock might break into
it.
The Populists who are opposed to be-
coming Democrats or voting a ticket
under the Democratic heading, do not
propose to be run into the Dem ocratic
camp by the Populist central commit
tee when il meets next week. The CLAW
Center Dispatch this week contains the
following editorial:
The Populist and Democratic state
committees are TO meet in joint session
at Topeka, March %. The Populist COM
,mittee is called for the purpose of ar
ranging If possible some scheme where
by the whole opposition to the Repub-
l1can party in the state might be united
upon one ticket and platform The
Democratic committee is called with a
view OF agreeing upon line of action
that viii unite the opposition to tha
Republican party under the head of
Democratic ticket A little discren-
ancy here, as will be readily noted.
THE Dispatch isn't greatly concerned
as to what these two committees may
or may not do, but would rise at this
time to make these few pointed re-
marks. Without discussing the merits
OF the cases or raising any question as