The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-07
BRISTOW is HERE.
Refuses to Discuss His Candidacy
for Senator.
He Explains the Panama Rail-
road Situation.

Joseph L. Bristow, special commits
sioner of President Roosevelt to in
vestigate the Panama railroad and
Pacific coast trade conditions, is in
Topeka today. He stopped over here
to see some of his Kansas friends. en-
route from the Pacihc coast to Wash
ington, where he will formulate his re-
port to the president
Mr.. Bristow reached Salina yester-
day, stopping there to look over his
newspaper property, the Salina Even
ing Journal. He came on to Topeka
this morning and visited Ol0-Une
friends here today He was met here
by H. j. Allen OF Ottawa, his partner
in the newspaper business. This after
noon he goes to Baldwin, where his
son Frank is attending Baker uniVer-
sity, and the first of the week he will
hurry on to Washington.
'I have had a fine trip and have ell
5Oyed it immensely" said MT. BrlStOW
today IL first visited Panama and in
vestigated the conditions surround
ing the railroad itself, and then came
up through Central America to the
CITY of Mexico finding out what
Mexico I came on UP the Pacific coast,
stopping at the ports of San Diego,
San Pedro and Los Angeles, San Fran
cisco, Portland and Seattle.
greatly interested in shipping by way
of Panama. There is a controversy
about the contract of the Pacific Mail
Steamship company with the Panama
railroad, and there is demand that
it be cancelled. The government,
which owns nearly all Of the stock in
the Panama railroad, can cancel the
contract by giving six months notice.
and the question is, ought the contract
to be cancelled
afThn nv contends
that there is not enough business for
more than one steamship line to Pana-
ma, and that if it is divided up no COM
pany would be warranted in maintain
ing a regular weekly schedule of ships
to Panama. The other side contends
that the Pacific Mail is controlled by
the transcontinental railroads and that
1T does not try to get Panama business;
that if the contract should be abolished
and business over the Panama road be
opened to competition, there would be
a great increase of business going that
way"
Mr.. Bristow refused to discuss the
Kansas political situation, saying that
he had been away so long that he did
not know enough about Kansas mat
tiers at present to talk about them Mr..
BristOw is looked upon as one of the
leading candidates for United States
senator to succeed Senator Burton, but
he did not mention his senatorial can
didacy today.
Personally. Mr.. Bristow looks very
little older than he did u years ago, in
spite of the strenuous life he has led
during the past six or eight years.
Twelve years ago he was plain Joe"
Bristow, and as editor of the Salina Re
publican he used to come to Republican
state conventions in Kansas along with
tcne other minor Kansas statesmen. Be
fore that he had been clerk OF the dis
trict court of Douglas county. He first
became q prominent figure in a state
convention when he secured the nOmi-
nation of T. F. Carver for attorney gen
eral in 1892. Two years later he was
made secretary of the state committee
and later secretary to Governor Nor
rill. After 1IcKinley's election and his
appointment as fourth assistant post
master general he became a national
figure through his work in the postoffice
department.