The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-06-15
no TOGA FOR F. D. COBURH
TOO MUCH POLITICS MIXED Up
WITH sENATORsHIP.
writes Letter 10 HOch, Declining the
Appointment to Senate-Judge
Benson Named.

LAST week TINS paper EEpOLNE4 LAAG
appointment OF F. d. COburn, secre-
taTy Of the state board OF agriculture,
as United States senator Dy Governor
HOch- The politicians disparaged the
appointment on the ground that Co
burn was not a politician DuI the
great common people approved the
appointment on this very ground
They had had enough Of politicians OF
the Burton stripe. The following Is
COburn's letter to the governor de-
cIining the appointment and giving his
reasons:
MY Dear Governor: This is ack-
nOwledgement Of the honor you have
proffered me in the form Of an ap-
pointment to the United States SEN
ate to MI the existing vacancy
considering all the circumstances
OF its making, and that il was IN
sought and unexpected, It is a cOmpli-
ment such as comes to few and there
fore, extraordinarily gratifying-Of
which you scarcely need be assured.
Such a generous expression Of your
confidence, given unqualidedly, viii al
ways be 70 me source OF profound
pleasure
LAS was my duty, have carefully
deliberated- upon every aspect Of the
situation, and, acting upon my know
ledge Of il and OF myself rather than
the urgency Of yourself and many
friends, mutual and otherwise, 1 can
reach no conclusion except the one in
I must not accept
u am extremely fond Of the work
and the position with which the peO-
pie Of Kansas have intTuSted me for
50 many years, and, il continued in
their service at all, no other can be
so acceptable.
There are many reasons, entirely
clear to me- but needless TO enumer-
ate, why I should not accept the SEN
atOrshiD, and one all sufficient is that
doing TrlnV-fr7 f7V- involve in
political activities and combinations, If
not facuOnal strife, directly on ac-
count Of myself or Indirectly on &C
count Of others for which I am with
out inclination aptitude or strength
Il shall be deeply panied if my de-
cIslOn shall seem ungraciOus, or in
anywise cause you inconvenience or
embarrassment
With sentiments of esteem and
gratitude, I am, as for so many years,
your friend, T. D. COBURN.'
Governor HOch much regretted Mr.
COburn's declinatiOn, and said:
1T is with the deepest regret that
/ must announce that Mr.. COburn has
declined TO accept the appointment Of
the SenatOrShiD," said Governor HOCh.
I rendered the appointment to Mr..
COburn, but with the understanding
that he was to have some time for
consideration and that no influence,
political or otherwise, was to be
brought 10 bear The offer of Sena-
tor BurtOn's seat was a complete sur
prise and at that time I had no in
dicatiOn that he would not accept the
appointment except that he took time
to consider it
Governor Hoch then rendered the
appointment to Judge A W. Benson
of Ottawa The governor in an in
teryiew, said:
The appointment Of Mr.. COburn
has been an exceedingly popular one,
continued the governor. He is wide
T-T-- L.
a man Of the people. The people Of
Kansas wanted him to accept the ap-
pOintment but that is a question for
him to decide alone 1 urged him to
accept at the time 1 rendered the pO-
sitiOn to him but since that time
have not mentioned the matter to him
in any way. 1 am satisfied that if Mr..
COburn had accepted he would have
made the people of Kansas a senator
of the highest rank"
''Imme diately after the receipt Of
Mr. Columns declinatiOn telephOned
to Judge A w Benson Of Ottawa and
rendered him the appointment. Judge
Benson was taken by surprise and
could not answer me on the spur Of
the moment. He asked me to give
him time to think the matter over.
He told me over the telephone that
ne would come to Topeka Monday and
talk the situation over with me. I
do not know whether Judge Benson
will accept the appointment or not
but hope he will
This incident recalls the case of
Cincinnattus the Roman emperor.
who resigned and went back to his
farm and the pIOw.
Roman senators, some of his former
associates in the government of the
empire, visited him and found him in
the field blowing and attending to his
work as a farmer and hOrticulturist.
They all chided him. The old man
smiled and said:
"Oh, you should come and see my
splendid cabbages'
For Sale Cheap.
Household and kitchen furniture;