The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-23

student cleared for action. Somewhere
out of the students mental method and
scholarly calm sprang the fame of pas
sion. Before it the attack OF the other
withered, and faded away. 1t was
sweeping and incisise. The debate closed
with prolonged cheers for Long and a
rush for the platform. forming an ova-
ton Long had never received before, and
mas not since This element in himself
F he had repressed until then. He has not
conjured with it since
/ IT ended personalities in the joint de-
bates. Election day brought expected
defeat, but without the slightest diminu-
ton in Longs faithful political following
and with the most general admiration for
his masterful campaign.
In 1898 Long received the nomination by
| reclamation and again met his old OPP
ponent, Jerry Simpson. The issue was an
Endorsement of Mckinley's adlninistra-
ton. ard conferred in the wisdom of the
policy of expansion. The battle cry was:
"A vote for Long is a vote for Mckin-
ley" Long was elected by a large ma
jority.
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 termers had been given
places on the committee OF ways and
means-Wnliam ]. Bryan. who in the
Fifty-frst congress was placed there by
his old friend. William NJ Springer. then
chairman; in the Fifty-fifth, Judge Wal
ter Evans of Kentucky. because he had
been commissioner of internal revenue.
Long. as a member Of that committee.
helped in the conception and framing of
the Porto Rican tariff bill. He made
the most notable speech upon it. There
was. however other work for him to do
Later on, when this same bill had passed
the house, had gone to the senate. had
been amended had come back 70 the
house for final passage, another great
fight occurred. When public questions. as
this was are up. or the eve of the vote
there is a lining up in the house which
calls for great skill in organization. The
leader is called. after the English. a whip.
Each side has one. The permanent Re-
publican whip, Tawnsy of Minnesota.
was absent. The speaker and admins
lily to take Tawney's place Ii was a deli
cate position. On slender margin hung
the fate of this important measure. Long
understood the task. the penalty for fail
ure He lined up his forces; called in the
wandering Republican members. paired
absent Republicans with Democrats on
the ground. who would have voted other
wise against the bill and when the vote
was taken the measure had eight major
lIy.
In 1900 Mr.. Long was again nominated
by reclamation. Jerry Simpson was no
longer his opponent. This time it fell to
the lot of Mr.. Claude Duval to oppose
him. Mr.. Long was elected. He serves
in the coming congress.
Our whistling janitor is whisking the
face of the dial of the steam gauge with
his feather buster He doesn't know that
a great thing impends, no more he sus-
poets that across the table beginning
next winter new, momentous idea in
coal is to be launched. an idea that
will set quivering the political vitalities
of the nation. For Reciprocity will be
seated at the head of the oblong table
offering all sorts of suggestions, Offend
ing all sorts of schedules and working all
manner of changes to the end that the
markets of the world shall be open to
the supplying capacity of the United
States
1t gratifies the Seventh district which
can trace its grain of wheat to the bolt
in the Pennsylvania bridge in Siberia. no
matter haw delicate the economic con-
nections, to have a man at the steam
gauge.
AS for Longs future. this: He has adj
ventured personality into Kansas poll
ties which remains and is to remain in
Kansas politics mercurial uncertainty.
audaciously calm. eternally coherent in
all the blustery political storms that come
and go over the most American of Amer
lean states. And however stubbornly
Kansas political future resists their
clairvoyance. Longs constituents believe
that the reward of great renown awaits
to crown his sterling worth.
VICTOR MURDOCH.
Wichita, Kan.
1An4nnN