The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-15
GOSSIP FROM CAPITAL
What Kansas Congressman
Are Doing and Saying.
SERVICE PENSION BILL
Irrigation Necessary to Sue
ceSSfuI Beet Culture.

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Washington. Nov. 1.-THE Congress
sional Directory. at the beginning of the
Fifty-eighth congress. is an interesting
publication. II contains the biographical
sketches Of the members Of congress and
senators. written by themselves. Some
are OF me 1ulsome variety; some mod
est: some page of fine type; some only
Few lines. Kansas, OF course being a
modest state. would not permit any ex-
travagance in the Biography of its states
men. Inc sketches, for the most part,
aA.s a mere relation Of date and place Of
birth, and political Offices niied by the
members.
/ Kansas has ten senators and represent
ttatives. OF the number sig are lawyers
Senators Burton and Long; Representa-
tives Curtis, Campbell, Miller and Cal
derheed.
Two are newspaper men-Representa-
dve-at-Large, Scott an Representative
Murdoch
Two are business men-Mr. Bowersocl1
and Mr.. Iteeder. These two are also
the most independent in financial way
Each is worth a competence.
The oldest member Of the Kansas dele
CATION is Representative Bowersock; he
IS 81. The youngest is Representative
Victor Murdoch, who is 81. The second,
as to years. is Representative Calder
head. who is SO, and the next TO the
youngest IS Representative Campbell Of
the Third district, who is 20 Until the
present congress. Mr.. Long has for years
been tho youngest member OF the delega-
ton. but loses this place with the adj
vent OF Mr.. Murdoch and Mr. Campbell.
Three members of the Kansas delega-
ton were born the same year-Curtis,
Long and Scott. The year was 1860.
hence the First district representative,
the representative at large and the junior
senator are IS years of age.
AS to the others, Mr.. Reeder is "a:
Senator Burton, 50; Representative Mil
Ter, AS
The average age of the delegation is
Az years. As delegations in congress
go. that from Kansas is decidedly young
and virile-
As to past political antecedents, six of
the ten have had service in the Kansas
Legislature before coming 10 congress.
These are: Senators Burton and Long;
Representative Scott, Bowersock, Miller.
Senator Long. Mr.. Bowersock and Mr.
Scott served in the state senate. Senator
burton and Mr.. Miller were In the house.
MIR. Bowersock also served in the house.
lCalderhead. Miller and Curtis were coun-
ny attorneys of their respective counties
Mr.. Reeder and Mr. Campbell neve1
held a political Office until elected 10
lcongress Mr.. Murdoch held only one
lclerk OF the appellate court OF Kansas
For years. Kansas had no native-born
representative on its delegation. Charles
Curtis was the first. Now come Victor
llurdock and Charles F. Scott. This ties
Kansas with Pennsylvania as having the
honor OF taking the lead in furnishing
Kansas with its delegation. MIR. Curtis
was born in Shawnee county, which is
in the district he represents. Mr.. Scott
Is a native of Allen county, and Mr..
Murdoch of Usage county.
The three Pennsylvanians of the dele
cation are Senator Long, and Represen-
tatives Miller and Reeder.
Ohio has two men on the Kansas dele
ion-Representatives Bowersock and
Calderhead
Indiana furnishes Senator Burton. and
the province of Nova Scotia. Dominion
of Canada. gives the Sunhower state
the representative from the Third dis
trict-Philip Pitt Campbell.
Uncle Joe" Cannon, the new speaker,
and the greatest character in congress,
has adopted a sensible course in making
up his committee. Usually the speaker
has Ihreshed out the matter by himself:
assuming all responsibility; naming min
ority members as well as majority, and
running the risk of mourning the dis
pleasure Of the minority in selections he
might make Uncle Joe" does not pro-
pose to do this. He has asked John Sharp
Williams OF Missssippi. the new minority
leader OF the house, practically To name
the minority members OF the great COM
rnittees OF the house. In this way, Can
non viii do several things. He will make
his own portion easier; he will come
nearer satisfying the minority as TO who
shall be on the committees; and he VIII
shut OF little of the gleat responsible
ty devolving upon him by reason of the
great task Of naming committee mem
beers. 1t is wise move, and il is rather
q strange thing that So far as is known,
no speaker ever did the same.
AprOpoS OF the contest 10Y 2 inelhDtE
OF ways and means from Kansas. hers
IS little Incident which occurred the
day seats Were drawn in the house. Mr..
Scott was fortunate enough when his
name was called. to ind untaken the
highly desirable place occupied in the
last congress by Mr.. Long. and from
which he made his ceiebrated speech on
reciprocity With Cuba Mr.. Scott hied
himself TO this seat. and exultantly forti-
fed himself against all attack by mem
bers whose names were called later. The
seat IS next 10 that Of Representative
Serene 2. Payne of New York chairman
OF ways and means and leader of the
majority. Mr. Payne shook hands with
Mr. Scott on his gco3 fortune. and fur
Their said: Il hope you viii be as for
tunate in securing NJ. Longs other
seat" referreins 10 the ways and means
place. This made Mr.. Scott naturally feet
quite elated.
Washington is filed with asprants for
the federal iudgeship and there friends.
OF the candidates. Justice John c. Pol
lock of the state supreme court, Nelson
H. LOOMS and Charles Blood Smith are
here. Other Kansas. who are interested
In the fight, one way 5oc another, and
who have been here this week. are: Cy-
rus Leland, VI. \. Low. David W Null
vane ]. 5. Dean. the United States dis
trict attorney; Y. H. Mackey. the United
States marshal: W. P. Hackney and p.
Il A;ssiSSt, Winfield; Judge AeCabe