Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-06-05
Noted Kansas Farmer Named to
Succeed Burton Who Re
signed Monday
coauRN HAS NOTABLE CAREER
Has Often Been Wanted to Head the
Ticket in Kansas But the Farmers
Of the State Never Could Spare Him
From the Board Of Agriculture-His
Career.

Topeka, kaS., June 5.-ttoStel
Dwight Coahurp, widely known as ar
agriculturist, was appointed Unitet
States senator by Gov. e. w. Hoch
to succeed j. Ralph Burton. who re-
signed Monday, C.oburn has not &C.
cepted the appointment definitely. He
was not candidate for the place.
Coburn has served for the last six
teen years as secretary of the Kansas
state board of agriculture. His home
Is in Kansas City. ]las.
Secretary Coburia's elevation to the
senate, it is predicted, will be pecu-
larly popular an1oag the farmers. Blu!
even so they will be disgruntled, it is
declared for .'Coburn of Kansas" was
Just the man for them they said.
"Coburn Of Kansas might have been
governor. But the agriculturists said
they couldn't do without him as secre-
tary OF the state board Of agriculture
SO secretary he remained.
"Coburn of Kansas" might have gone
to congress. But the stoclnen cried
that they could never raise their stock
without his help. And he kept on be-
ing secretary.
The late President Mckinley during
his second term wanted "Coburn of
Kansas" for secretary of the national
department of agriculture. But what'll
we do when the bugs come round q
demanded the orctardists. And so he
continued working for the grangers of
Kansas.
"Coburn of Kansas stands UP for
his state, as Secretary Wilson learned
in 1902, when the former, by the fig
ures of the latters own department,
showed q. statement credited to Secre-
tary Wilson that kansas was in the
semi-arid belt was incorrect.
Secretary Coburn has pulled the
Kansas farmer out of many a deep
hole. When he was recalled to the
secretaryship of the agricultural board
In 1904, he showed the farmers how
successfully to feed wheat to their
stock. Thus, with a corn famine fac
ing them, many We're prevented from
sacrificing their cattle. He was among
the first to discover the adaptability
of alfalfa for the cry prairies of west
ern Kansas. His hand book on "Alfal-
"a" is recognized authority.
He was born in Jefferson
county, Wisconsin. in May, 1916. Mus
tered out Of the Si:sty-sixth Illinois in
fantry as a sergeant major at Fort
Gibson, /. T.. in ls66-he enlisted i'll
the One Hundred and Thirty fifth Illi-
rois infantry at the age of 1S years.
He went to franklin county, Kansas.
MI =. i 60,
a few years until he had saved enough
to secure his own farm. About two
years later he was married to- Miss
Lou Jenkins Their two daughters
and son are graduates of the State
Agricultural College.
Coburn was made secretary of agri-
culture in 1881, after he had served a
year as clerk in the department. He
held the secretaryship for six years,
when he resigned to edit the Kansas
City Livestock Indicator.
The late George. w. Click In 1882
made Coburn president OF the agricul-
tural college regents, a position the
latter held till 1903, when he resigned
because, as he said. his "oM fogy" no
tions conf1icted with the theoretics Of
the college president.
In 1894 Coburn was unexpectedly
made secretary of the state board of
agriculture again. He has remained
there ever since. He was chosen chief
of the department of livestock of the
St Louis exposition In 1902. AS an au-
thority On things agricultural Co
burn of Kansas" is renowned in Eng
land, Scotland, Canada, Australia and
c..sz I>s r.
- text booaks in the farming schools