The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-23

to me: II haven't taken part in politics
for years until last September. Then Jim
Blank came up for the nomination for
county commissioner. / recalled his ac-
ton at Coldwater in 1889; there was Il
sprinkling of ex-Kansans in the conveE-
ton hall. Well, | got out and refreshed
the boys memories. and We ran the
freight train over Jim and then backed
it up on the corpse.
Suffice to say, the period in political
matters in that section was strenuous.
In 1855 Long stepped into the arena. All
he wanted was the Barber county delega
ton TO the state senatorial convention.
! Tom McNeal took it away from him. F.
c. Price who secured the nomination and
election in 1889 resigned to become judge
and Long went after the nomination for
the vacancy in the state senate. The
convention. of the strenuous kind. twen-
ty-eight ballots and no choice. Three
o'clock in the morning Meade county
wobbled; there was break, and Long
was nominated. The campaign was SIREN
nous. Longs opponent was A. NJ. Van
laningham. and Jerry Simpson stumped
the district against Long. Long was
displayed qualities which won him some
very strong friends in the Seventh dis
trict. and some of these friends were men
who understood and delighted in organi-
cation. And in 1892 Long took the NOM
ination for congress away from others
and plunged into the campaign against
Jerry Simpson, then glorying in the pos
session of Prince Halls scalp. Long
made a campaign with Simpson as the
issue. The district did the same. Simp-
son came out triumphant at that time
a personality that was electric with the
majority.
In 1894 no horde demanded the congress
sional nomination against Jerry Simpson.
He was accounted dangerous. Long had
little trouble in getting the nomination
again. Jerry Simpson was not the issue.
The tariff was Long handled it brilliant
ly. The day after the election the follow
ers of Simpson passed trying to realize
that the invincible Jerry had failed to
connect with sufficient votes. The shock
of his first defeat can not now be realized
even by his followers who felt it. Dur
ing the campaign bets on Simpson with
brutal odds hung untaken. and the Re-
publican who limited at his possible de-
feat was laughed out of countenance.
1t was then that the people OF the Sew
enth district began TO concede the i'm
portance of a political student in cam
paigns. Long began to grow in public
regard. His small, faithful following
grew. He had. in congress, part in two
discours ging committees-elections No. .,
and accounts. He pulled off his coat and
jumped in. There was a contested cleo
ton case from Kansas City. Mo. Colonel
r. T. Van Horn, Republican. contested
John C. Tarsney, Democrat. Long. stu
dent-wise. tackled the case. He made
exhaustive study OF it, and when his
speech came in the house in support OF
his position, the research cleaned bright
ly out from the mass Of facts: the lead
ers were so pleased that later he was
given exclusive control of contested
election case from Tammany district
and again acquitted himself creditabIy
In lss6-free silver year-Long was again
nominated. against Jerry simpson. The
Seventh district was on FIRE. The gold
standard man was practically non-exist-
e.rt before the ST. Louis convention. The
day after there was al upheaval- Some
left the Republican party in anger. some
in downright sorrow; thousands obstin-
ateiy determined 10 stay in the Repub-
lican party and be for free silver In spite
o. the gold platform; many declared
frankly that as the national convention
wanted a gold standard they wanted IL
too. The day after the adoption OF that
platform at St. Louis every informed Re-
publican in the Seventh district knew
the district was gone The question was.
BY how muct9
Long must have known the impossible
ity Of his election. Simpson was again
his opponent The personalities OF both
candidates we're no longer matters OF dis
cussion- The demand OF the public was
for the facts OF the money question
Long had been preparing for that de-
mand The joint debates were arranged
sin Of them. az Wellington. Great Bend
Harper Hutchinson. Newton and Wich-
tia Only once did the debate lapse iuto
personalities This vas at Newtoa- In
patient OF an atmosphere wherein subtle
" OF speech. singing ziIusioa and Cat
ling REPAIRED vithered. and hosry Fact
brought srmsful OF heavy statistics FOR
ward for clubs Jerry Simpson turned his
axil. tongue O. Lanx personsllv- The