The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-18
One of Them Couldn't Get Uncle
Sam Check Cashed.
ANOTHER HADTO WAIT
Couldn't Draw Enough Cash to
Get to Washington.
The Pedestrian Club and Plague
of Eat ing.

1 $500
| Washington during the present week
| but found that he could not ge
i enough money from his bank account
| to defray his own and his family's
travelling expenses. Being of a cheer.
full and humor-appreciating frame OF
mind, he took his typewriter in hand
and penned few lines to his secre-
tary, who fortunately had come or
| when money was in circulation; and
| incloSed his last pay check from the
government for something like 1925
and worded his letter in a serio-comic
way that nearly threw the secretary
into commissions. He directed him to
proceed without delay to the office OF
the Sergeant-at-arms, who is the dis
bursting and banking officer here for
mem bers of the house, get the cur
rency, and send it forthwith by ex-
press. He Endorsed the check over to
the secretary.
All went well so far; but it happen
ed that the secretary was not person.
ally known to the sergeant-at-arms,
and he found himself stuck the first
thing. So he telephoned to a certain
Kansas man who knows the capitol
and it's offices well, and explaining
the circumstances asked him to come
to the sergeant-at-arms' office imme-
diately and identify him. The Kan
san did so, the check was cashed and
bills and a twenty and a five, were
placed in an express envelope, rushed
to the express office, and sent to the
waiting member. He is now on his
way to Washington rejoicing.
Another Kansas attache of con-
gress, who lives in certain large
Kansas town, wrote recently an anus
ing letter to a friend here. He said:
You are lucky in getting to the mon
ey center as soon as you did. We are
all out of funds here, with every bank
in town locked up SO far as paying
out money is concerned. I am allow
ed to draw IS day on my own &C
count, and I must draw a w every
day for about two weeks to get me
enough TO travel to Washington"
The two weeks are nearly up, and
the friend in Washington expects soon
to see his Kansas fellow attache come
walking into the capitol.
The annual grand opening of the
Kansas Statesmen's Walking League
occurred last Sunday. -
This bald STATEMENTS entitled to
key in order that it be understood. The
league was organized
several years ago by Senator Long and
his friend Joseph L. Bristow. then
fourth assistant postmaster general
Longs election to the senate and when
many Of his friends feared that he
might be headed toward a nervous
breakdown, he was told that he must
exercise more. So he began at first
slowly by walking from his house to |
he capitol and return. Gradually this |
daily walk of some thirty squares was |
enlightened, until he finally became |
l busy man, and so was his friend, Mr. |
Bristow. They had little time, either |
by day or by night, to cultivate the |
social side of each other and to employ |
agreed finally that Mr.. Bristow should |
1evote Sunday afternoons with Senator |
Long to long walks out into the coun- |
.ry and into Maryland. Thus was the |
league formed. |
Now it was about this time that Vic |
or Murdoch came down to Washing |
ION to be member of congress. While |
Senator Long and more especially MI. |
Bristow, was long of limb and not |
ourdened with superf1uous flesh, MI. |
was not exactly attenuated a S |
% limb or body. Firmly he resolved. |
after much banter on the part of the |
senator and the fourth assistant, and |
Urged on by Mrs. Murdoch, to join the |
eague. He appeared at Senator
longs one Sunday afternoon armed
With pedometer and Jared forth to
establish a record. He was like the
brother of the German girl in the i
comic opera who played with Sousa-
once" Mr.. Murdoch walked with
Senator Long and Mr.. Bristow-once.
1t was not long until Charles F. Scott
oined the league. He became an
adept, and when Mr.. Bristow left
he was Mr.. Longs firm
companion of Sunday afternoon.
Even Mr.. Calderhead Joined, and be-
came something of a pedestrian. J. NJ.
Miller eSSayed it a few times. The |
eague mem bership increased.
Senator Long had been in Washington |
couple of weeks when Mr.. Scott ar
lived, and they Immediately planned for |
| resumption of the weekly exercise. |
Meanwhile P. P. Campbell came in, and |
)e1ng properly entfced, consented to |
walk. He did so, with marvellous re- |
jults, so he says; while Senator Long |
Ind Mr.. Scott admit that the novice
lid better than they expected. But they |
account for this by saying that Camp
bell had exercise in the Highlands and |
4owlands of Scotland the past summer, |
hereby equipping himself for the walk
ng stunt.
All this by way of explanation of |
what the Kansas Statesmen's Walking |
League is.
Now that the statesmen are gathering, |
here is fear and trembling because the
linner season is about to begin. Mem
0ers of congress generally hibernate in
summer. However, anomalous this |
statement may appear to be, it is
'act. Bears gorge themselves in sum-
ner and sleep without eating all win |
of them do, at any rate.
statesmen eat all winter |
and then exercise, loaf, travel, sleep, |
and otherwise lead the simple life all
summer. But when the gathering of
he clans occurs each autumn, then pre-
pare for dinners. Not only dinners, but
festive luncheons, late suppers, and
what not lie in the path way of the
statesmen 1t is a ver1table eatfest for |
months at a stretch. It is worse than
rink or poker. A man by taking
thought and a strong hitch on his con-
science and his mental resolution may
zeep away from drink and poker; but
\ statesman in Washington cannot get
away from eatig. 1t? ,ACDgofpoi oma
away from eating Does visitor. a
Jery dear friend, come to town, he sug- |
sests to the statesman that an eating
stunt is the proper thing; and if the
statesman does not want to offend, and