The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-27
WOMEN IN POLITICS.
They Cut More Figure i'm Kansas than
They Get Credit For.

Topeka Letter In Kansas City Journal.
Women cut more figure in present-day
Kansas politics than they are given credit
for. They do not make so much noise
about it as women used to, but they accom-
plish more, and they do it by operating
through their husbands. Rather, they help
them. They do not take an independent
stand, as the women did in the days of
Populism, and try to set the prairies afire
by their eloquence. They work in their
own sphere.
Mrs. Burton was about as much respon-
sible for the election of her husband TO
the Senate as he was himself She threw
her whole soul into that seven years cam
paign. She counseled with her husband
and his political hackers and made many
suggestions about the conduct of the cam
paign which were adopted and which net
ted results. She is a great home woman.
She loves to keep house and cook and en-
terrain friends. Yet she gave up this pleas
ure for several years and hit the road"
so to speak, with her husband in his
slayer. She never complained Of fatigue.
While Burton was fixing UP his fences she
was along to help fix them so they would
stay fixed. Burton picked up many sup
porters because of clever things done by
his charming wife. Every politician in
Kansas of any note knows Mrs. Burton,
and many of them helped Burton because
she urged them TO. In the campaign which
resulted in Burton's election the OPPOSE
ton leaders frequently remarked that Mrs.
Burton was the shrewdest politician they
had to figure against. She is lust as en-.
ergetic now she was when her husband
was seeking the office. If the knocks Bur-
ton mas received in recent months troubles
her any, she conceals it most effectually.
Mrs Long is not so well known as Mrs.
Burton. 1t wasn't necessary for her hus-
band to make the same kind of a cam
paign Burton did. 1t wasn't seven years
on wheels with Long. His campaign was
short and decisive. Long himself doesn't
know as many people as Burton, but he can
call more by name. He remembers names.
Burton doesn't. During Longs several cam
paigns for Congress in the Seventh district
Mrs. Long was busy at home. Occasionally
she would made side trip with her hus-
band. but she never made a practice of
riding the district with him. Politically,
she devoted her time to coaching her hus-
band at home; not jollying politicians. In
the senatorial fight last winter, she won
friends for the Long cause by her great
devotion TO her sick husband and her
band like a hawk and whenever she found
his condition unfavorable she would bar
the door against the politicians and make
him take some rest and medicine. She did
her duty so gracefully that it won the adj
miraton of everybody. Long is a great
student and this is where Mrs. Long comes
a speech in Congress unless he has some
thing to say. He works all his speeches
out in advance and prepares himself thor
oughly to repel any sort of an attack from
the enemy. After he Terminates them he
reads them to Mrs. Long. He jokingly re-
marks that if he can get a speech down
that Mrs Long catches all the points he
is quite certain that the leaders, at least,
in Congress will comprehend what he is
driving at.
Mrs Bailey, wife of the Governor has
not shown her mettie yet. Politics is
a thing to her and, besides, she is
still bride. She has not become used
TO having her husband abused, and is n
trifie "touchy." She will get over that,
if Bailey stays in politics, which he
doubtedly WILL Every time some poll
tician takes rap at Bailey she Is ready
right then and there TO have him resign
as Governor and go back to the farm.
This amuses the Governor. He tells her
that she will soon get broke to politics
and learn not TO worry over such trifiing
matters q roast.
Mrs Kelly, wife OF the state treasurer,
is almost good a politician as her hus-
band. and he * III the front rank. She
knows every politician of any consequence
i'm the State; also knows to which faction
he belongs, and whether he was for or
against Tom at the Wichita convention.
When the big fight made her hus-
band in the last campaign, both before and
after the convention, she was courageous.
She helped to plan his campaign. This was
essential. Kelly not only had the fusioniets
10 whip, but also others. some of whom