The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-03

the next campaign. Statesmen quit SELL
ing powder, and hundreds of them be-
came politicians to turn the wave of pub
lie sentiment. 1t became so warm that
Lieutenant Governor Lee who had gu
bernatoriaI aspirations, went to the in
dependent manufacturers to call them
off. He acknowledged at a dinner with
one of the leaders of the fight that he
had made a mistake in the last Assembly,
but said he would correct it in the next
Legislature, promising to insure the re-
peal of the obnoxious law.
The fight was then called off so far as
he was concerned. but Senator Orchard,
who disappeared with the bill, was over
whelmingly defeated, and Senator Frank
Farris. who was known as the leader OF
the fight against the repeal, came near
being defeated. Lee went so far as to
tell the alum men whom he considered
boodlers and whom were the honest men.
He told Independent men that he would
allow them to name the committee to
which the boil would be referred.
When the bill came up in the senate at
the last session, however, Lee suddenly
left his seat to the temporary presiding
officer. who referred the bill to different
committee from that to which Lee
promised TO refer it. That was the be-
ginning of the fight. when Lee first
showed signs that he would not fulfil
lis pledges.
1t so happened that there was a favor
able report on the bill, but it was de-
feated by a vote of IS to To- A similar
bill which was introduced in the house
was passed in a hurry, and when that
reached the senate there was another
fight. Long and acrimonious speeches
were made, and the alum taste be-
came a by word. II any one at Jeffer-
son City wanted civil name for hood
Ter he always referred to a man with the
"alum taste"
During the campaign Lee had made
an attack on Farris at the instigation Of
the alum men, and Farris remembered
this and frequently made strong insinua-
tions that he had Lee where he wanted
HMM a hole So when the bill came
over from the house he resolved to put
Lee in a corner and make him show
his hand" as Farris expressed it. He
sent two of his combination out into an
anteroom. and that left the vote to a
should be passed. 1t was then up to Lee,
as the presiding officer, to cast the de-
ending vote.
There was a long pause when the tie
was announced and more than once Far
ris reminded Lee that they were waiting
for his vote. After some time Lee an
nouuced that he would vote in the mega
tive and the bill was lost finally Farris
afterward said that If Lee had voted in
the affirmative he could easily have Sc
cured a reconsideration. Then ne could
have called in the two other senator's,
which would have killed the bill just the
same.
The day following Lees vote the Lieu
tenant Governor gave out a long letter
Of explanation, which was used quite
extensively by the Trust all over the
country In this statement he declared
that any one who would vote to permit
the use of alum in baking powder was
a criminal, and was not at home outside
OF the penitentary. This aroused the
ire of the members Of the committee
who had been advised by Lee to favor
the repeal. and they declared themselves
on the floor Of the senate in no uncertain
terms. Lee then made a public apology
10 them.
Lee received many left handed compli-
r1ents from legislators who were next
% the game" at the capital. but when
the session adjourned he was regarded as
one Of the leading candidates for Gov
ernor.
When Circuit Attorney Folk and Attor-
rev General Crow struck the St Louis
trail Lee hurriedly turned over the Kel-
lev check which he had held for three
weeks. declaring that it must have been
for the purpose q bribery and be could
not accent il. No explanation has YET
hen forthcoming 20 the public as 10 Why
he kept II SO long.