The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-22
sKETCH "a MR. LONG.
How He Won His Way to Promi-
name.

Chester I. Long began his legal career
in Topeka and he has many admirers
among the lawyers and literary people
of this city. As q young Miami county
school teacher he entered the law Office
of Peck, Johnson & Mcfarland in 1888,
and he was admitted to the Shawnee
county bar in 1880 It may be that Mr.
Long got his political inspiration from
George R Peck. for it was not long
after leaving Topeka to go to Barber
county that he began to devote some
attention to politics
As a law student in Topeka Mr.. Long
was known as a tireless, persistent
worker. When interested in an intricate
legal proposition he often devoted a part
of the night to its solution While Mr..
Long was little Known outside of legal
circles in Topeka he formed an assOcia-
tion with some of the literary men by
helping to place on a firm footing the
Saturday Night club. the Oldest literary
Organiza tiOn in Topeka AS a member
of the Saturday Night club Mr. Long
was known as ready, logical and
pleasing debater-
Mr. Long was born in Perry county,
Pennsylvania. IN 1850 and is therefore
43 years old. He was the youngest of
a family Of six brothers and three sis
ters. In 1865 the family moved west
and settled on farm at GalIatin, Mo.
Mr.. Long taught school at 16 and in
1879 entered a normal college then at
PaOla, Miami county, and completed
the course there, also teaching in that
county to earn money enough to COM
plete q course in law
In 1885 Mr.. Long was a candidate of
the Barber county delegation as state
senator but he was defeated by Tom
McNea1, but the nomination went to
another man, F. G. Price who resign
ed the next wear 10 become district
Judge. Long was cafgidate for the
vacancy and was elected. From this
time Mr.. Long was recognized as
rising star on the political horizon. In
4saf r rxT
the gauntlet before the inimitable
Jerry Simpson and went down in de-
feat but he built up redoubtable
working force which two years later
made him congressman from the Sew
enth district and retired the P0pulisu
leader. The tables were again turned
in 1896 but at the close of Simpson S
two year term Mr.. Long Wrested the
and has represented the district ever
since. Simpson made an inefectuaI
attempt to win back the place and
then left the state.
Speaker Henderson assigned him to
the committee on ways and means. As
he had been out of congress for a term
he was regarded as first termer- .
The assignment was unusual Up until
that time but two first ternlers had
been given place on the committee Of
ways and means-William J. Bryan who
in the Fifty first congress was placed
there by his old friend. William NJ
/
fifth, Judge Walter Evans of Kentucky,
because he had been commissioner Of
internal revenue.
Long, as a member of that committee
helped iE the conception and framing
Of that Porto Rican tariff bill He made
the most notab bic speech upon it. There
was however, other work for him to do.
Later on, when this same bill had pass
ed the house, had gone to the senate,
had been amended, had come back to
the house for final passage, another
great fight occurred. When public ques-
tions as this was are up, on the eve
Of the vote. there is i lining I'D in the
house which calls for great skill in or
ganization The leader is called. after
the English, a whip Each side has
one. The permanent Republican whip,
/ TaWney of Minnesota. was absent. The
speaker and administration forces chose
/ Nr. Long temporarily to take Tawney's s
place. It was a delicate position. On a
slender margin hung the fate of this
/ important measure Long understood
the task, the penalty for failure. He
lined up his forces: called in the wan
dering Republican members, paired alb
! sent Republicans with Democrats on
the ground, who would have voted 9th
erwiser against the bill and when the
vote was taken, the measure had eight
majority
In the recent congress Mr.. Long was
the recognized leader Of the administra-
tion forces in the struggle for Cuban
| temporarily lost it brought added honors
to the Kansas congressman and made
him a factor in national politics. His
| election as senator will therefore be an
especial endorsement of the administra-
ton Of President Roosevelt.
Congressman Long married Miss AIMS
Bach. of PaOla. Kas, in 1895, and two
daughters have been born to them