The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-21


I'm asking 9TH
ers than members to address the
house and senate new precedent has
been established" remarked Senator
Benedict In the thirty-three years
that have watched the legislature
never knew this to be done except
once, and that was when the late
Judge w. w. Webb, in 1875, was at
tory for Mowry, the representative
who was charged with fraudulent bond
issues in several Kansas counties.
Mowry was Investigated by the at
torney general Archie Williams.
house as Mowry's attorney. The re-
suit was Mowry was expelled"
When Senator Benedict first came to
the Kansas legislature the state capt.
toll consisted of what is now the east
wing of the state house-just that and
nothing more When Senator Bene-
dict first gained an entrance to the
state house he did so by climbing
long, rickety wooden steps in front of
the east wing. One of the first things
the legislature did was to pass an ap-
preparation bill for the building of the
present stone steps in front of the east
wing
When Senator Benedict first saw the
present senate chamber the big room
was divided by a wooden partition run
ming east and west through it. On the
south side was the senate chamber and
on the north side the house. The senate
chamber was not then decorated with
marble and bronze and plaster as now
but the walls were coated with rough
mortar and there were pictures painted
On the walls. They were daubS,'' said
Senator Benedict. They were pic
lures, or supposed to be. of Kansas
statesmen but they all looked alike
At this first session of Senator Bene-
diets legislative experience the Grand
Duke Alexis, of Russia, was making
his American tour and killing buffalo in
western Kansas with General Phil
Sheridan, Representative Chalk Bee
son and others. The Grand Duke came
to Topeka and the Legislature met in
joint session to receive him. II. p. FL
der was lieutenant governor and presi-
dent of the senate and S. A. Cobb, of
Wyandotte, was speaker of the house.
Speaker Cobb made the address of well
come and the grand duke replied
through one of his aides who could do
a little with the English language.
though not much. The senators and
representatives formed in line to march
past and shake hands with the grand
duke. The late Tom FenlOn, still re-
membered as one of the leading Demo-
Gratis of the state in his day, and Sena-
tor Benedict stood apart and did not
take a position in the line. Benedict
asked Fenlon why he did not shake
hands with the grand duke. Fenlon
drew himself up, proudly as a Demo-
crat of the old type could, and said: Il
am a sovereign, he is not. 1 will not
shake hands with my Interiors; That
was pure Democracy for you" said
Senator Benedict in telling of the Incl
dent
Senator Benedict has voted for three
men who became United States sena-
tors. They were Senator ingalls,, Sena-
tor Plumb and Senator Baker. He vo-
ted for Judge Lowe for senator, when
he was defeated by Plumb. He voted
for ingalls, in the big senatorial fight of
1879 when Ingalls, defeated A. Nh. Hor-
ton by two votes Senator Benedict
was chairman of the ingalls, caucus.
Before he came west Senator Benedict
knew the ingalls, family in New Eng
land and was a classmate of Senator
Ingalls, brother at Williams college.
Senator Benedict comes from simon
pure Connecticut stock, and he shows
his lineage. Two of his great grand
and at the battle of Bennington. When
Senator Benedict came west he was a
member of the engineering depart
ment of the Union Pacific construction
force. After that he went to Wilson
county. and in 1892 was made Indian
inspector. Under Governors St John
and Click he was a regent of the state
university.
During this session of the legislature
Senator Benedict has voted on a con-
gressional reapportionment bill, a sub
ject he has voted on three times be-
fore. In 1872 he voted for the first
reapportionment bill which was to
change Kansas from one congressional
district to three. Then after the
census of 1880 and that of 1890 he
voted for reapportienment bills, and
now he has voted to rediStrict the
state and make eight congressional
districts instead of seven. Each time
there has been a redistricting measure
the aspiring statesmen have made it