The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-14

friend Ned, q young senator just elect
ed from Bradiey's state. Bradley is
telling Of events supposed to have trans
pired some time since. Describing the
man supposed to be Burton, Bradley
says:
ssFIe made his appearance in a sack
coat and pair Of trousers that would
have made a star outfit for a wheel of
fortune fakir at country fair. the
checks of that suit simply shouted,
and he wore the first fire red necktie,
so I was told, that had ever invaded the
senate chamber on the neck of a
member. The general modesty of the
human landscape which he offered for
the inspection of his distinguished
colleagues was emphasized by the glare
of a diamond stud about the size Of a
marrow fat pea To top it all his cad
was crowned with a silk hat fresh
from the haberdashers."
Praises BristOw's Honesty.
The pages in the senate nicknamed
the new man senator SOapy,' on ac-
count of his soap-fakir methods.
Bradley says that Senator Soapy" got
his start as an itinerant elOcution
teacher-as did Burton.
Hank Murray supposed to be the
prototype of Bristow, is described as
Just about that time I happened to
meet up with one of the assistant
postmaster generals tall, lanky,
IA -DOilEus ElEEE-LEu man VINO maze
me feel that he was sound to the core
the minute I CRASHED his hand. He
was as handsome as a hemlOck slab,
and you could feel the slivers of his
aggressive honesty at first touch.
Somehow I cOttoned right IN to him
from the start and whenever I got to
feeling little lonesome for the COM
pany Of man who looked at things on
the level had the smell of the good old
country sod about him and hadn't been
tod aeto in ton fa-T7
would send for Hank Murray. and
we'd have heart to heart talk at
E4arvey's.
The Interview With the President.
Senator Soapy is very anxious to re-
move the scalp of the third assistant
postmaster, Hank Murray and calls up
en- the president to make his complaint.
This interview IS drawn closely. accord
ing to a certain incident of similar ma
ture involving Burton and the presi-
dent. This is the way the interview be
tween Senator SOapy" and the presi-
dent is described:
he'd been given half q chance. His
boots in the presence Of witnesses if
he'd been given half a chance. He's
toadying in this direction later made
him the laughing stock of Washington.
But to get back to my story. After
Soapy had sIobbered oyer the president
a little, he came to the point with the
remark.
L
dency's attention to q man by the name
Of Hanky Murray now holding a posi-
tion as one of the postmaster generals
assistants.
So Senator interrupted the president.
Tn always delighted to have my at
tentiOn called to this man. IF your state
has any more such men I will thank
you to present their names. The public
service needs more like him. 1t would
be a personal qualification to me to adj
vance him to a still higher position, but
that is impossible just now. Besides his
rugged honesty and his plodding faith
fitness are especially needed in the diff
cult place he now fills. Personally, I
lean upon him heavily, for his loyalty
and judgment save me from many conf
pIications and mistakes
THAT was the neatest blow from
gloved hand I ever saw given in high
places. Soapy had come to knock his
enemy out of official and political life,
and the president had taken the words
out of his mouth and put forward the
presumption that the senator had called
to ask for a promotion for him instead.
To round off the story in good shape.
it is described how Murray gets evidence
that SOapy is trying to get the assist
auce of one of the postoff1ce inspectors
to lift a fraud order issued against
get-rich-quick concern, and the RAIDER
is left with the assurance that Soapy
was on the road to the penitentiarg.