The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-01-30

How the New senator From kansas won
His way 20 Prominenee.

his way 90 y Eou11neUce-
ChesterL 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 Of
fee Of Peck, johnson & Mcfarland in
1883, and be was admitted to the Shaw
nee county bar in 1888, 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 Bar
Der county that be began to devote
some attention to politics.
As law student il. Topeka Mr.. Long
Was known IS a tireless, persistent
worker. When interested in an intri-
cate legal proposition he often devoted
a part OF the night to its solution.
While Mr.Long was Iittle.known outside
of legal circles he formed an associa-
ton with some Of the literary men by
helping to place on firm footing the
Saturday Night club, the oldest liter
airy organization in Topeka. As a
member of the Saturday Night club
Mr.. Long was known as a ready, logic
al and pleasing debater.
Mr.. Long was born in Perry county,
Pennsylvania, in 1850 and is therefore
43 years old He is the youngest Of a
| family OF six brothers and three sis
tiers. In 1865 the family moved west
and settled on farm at Gallatin, No
Mr.. Long taught school at 16 and in
1879 entered a normal college then at
Psols, Miami county and completed
the course there, elsO teaching IN that
county 70 earn mOuey enough TO com
plete a course in law.
In 1888 Mr.. Long was a candidate Of
the Barber county delegation as state
senator but he was defeated by Tom
McNeal, but the nomination went to
another man, F. c. Price, who resigned
the next year to become district judge.
Long WAS a candidate for the vacancy
and was elected. From this time Mr..
Long was recognized as arising star on
the political horizon. In 1892 the
young statesman threw down the
gauntlet before the inimitable Jerry
Simpson and went down In defeat but
he built up a redoubtable working
force which two years later made him
congressman from the Seventh district
and retired the pOpulist leader. The
tables we're again turned in 1896, but
at the close Of Simpsons two year
term Mr.. Long wrested the laurel
wreath from his opponent and has rep
resented the district ever since. Simp-
son made an Intellectual 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 q term
be was considered a "first termern
The assignment was unusual Up IN
til that time but two first termers had
been given place on the committee Of
ways aud William J. Bryan,
who in the Fifty-frst congress was
( placed there by his old friend, William
NJ Springer, then chairman; in the
F'ifty-ffth Judge Walter Evans, of
Kentucky, because he had been com
missioner Of internal revenue.
Long, as a member of that commit
tee helped in the conception and fran
ing of the Porto Rican tariff bill. He
made the most notable speech upon it.
There was, however, other work for
him to do. Later Cd. when this same
bill had passed the house, had gone to
the senate, had been amended, had
come back to the house for final pass
age, another great fight occurred.
When public questions, as this was,
are up, on the eve Of the vote, there is
lining up in the house which calls for
great skill in organization. The lead
er Is called, after the English, a whip
Each side has one. TIE permanent
republican whip, Tawney, OF Minneso-
ia, was absent. The speaker and ad-
ministrstiOn forces chose Mr.. Long
temporarily to take Mr.. Tawney's
place. It was delicate position. On
q 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 ab,
sent republicans with democrats on
the ground who would have voted 9th
erwise on the bill aud when the vote
was taken the measure had eight ma
jOrity-
In the recent congress Mr.. Long wa:
recognized leader Of the admInistra
ton forces in the struggle for Cuban
reciprocity and though the fight was
temporarily lost 1t brought added hon
Ors TO the Kansas congressman and
made him factor in national politics
His election as senator will therefore
be an especial endorsement OF the sd
ministration Of President Roosevelt.
Congressman Long married Miss
Anna Bach, Of Paola, Kan, in 1895
and two daughters have been born Il
them