The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-05
]. w. Robson Therefore Knows
All About Kansas Animals.
His Diet Included Boiled Snakes
as a Delicacy.
NOT FOR MIR. STUBS.
Says He Hears Little of the
Square Deal.
Wheat in His Section of the
State Is Poor.

Il have eaten pretty nearly every
animal that lives in Kansas" is the
astonishing statement made today by ].
w. Robson, of Butler county, formerly
railroad commissioner of the state Of
Kansas, who is in Topeka attending the
Washburn commencement.
Now that may sound a little far
fetched said Mr. Robson, but you
must remember that 1 have been here in
Kansas more than fifty years; was
raised with Indians, and buffaloes, and
frontiersmen, and things used to be diff
ferent in those days.
Dogs? oh, yes, I've eaten dogs. They
are not bad. I've eaten snakes. I ate
snakes with General Crook, the famous
old Indian fighter. Crook considered
snakes a great delicacy. He had them
broiled, and the flesh was very nice and
sweet. Why shouldn't snakes be just as
good as frogs legs, which are counted
such great delicacy?
Il have eaten possums, coons, coyotes
and skunks, but 1 can't say much for
the skunks. Possums, of course, are
eaten now, and taste very much like
pig.
Il have eaten horse flesh many times
They used to can horse flesh as reg
ular thing. When / was over in Paris,
IL nOIlced many meat SnODS with the
label horse beef sold here They don't
allow them to sell horse meat without
putting on that notice. Horse meat is
drier and firmer than beef; it seems to
be more muscular tissue, and less fat.
But it is very good and there is no
reason why people shouldn't eat it. The
horse is the cleanest animal there is,
so far as it's habits are concerned. It
eats nothing but the c1eanest vegetable
matter; it even strains its water through
re T4r11n f1~fr1 lie &c ole in
its choice of sleeping quarters. 1t is
just prejudice that makes US dislike the
idea of eating horses"
Not for Stubbs.
Speaking of political conditions. Mr..
Robson said: Il don't hear any talk
about this square deal business down
in our county. except what Bent Muir
dock is making. don't see now Stubbs
can be nominated for governor. The
people down my way are not for him.
Bent Murdoch is fighting Hoch be-
cause Hoch did not appoint him chair
man of the board of control. He was
the man who insisted that Hoch should
run for governor four years ago. Now
if Stubbs should be elected governor,
Murdock would fight him, unless he ap-
pointed Murdoch chairman of that
board, or something equally as good
Wheat in Bad Shape.
Speaking of wheat conditions Mr..
Robson said: Wheat is in bad shape
About third OF 1t In Butler county has
been plowed up and the remainder Will
make only a third crop. The green bugs
cleaned things up in Butler. Cowley,
Sumner, Harvey. Marion and McPher-
son counties. They were blown up there
by a strong south wind from Oklahoma
They have not done so much damage in
Barton, and counties west of there.
Those parasite bees and lady bugs came
right along with the green bugs, and
they killed off the green bugs very rap
Al i - T..A-
tie.
Il sent five dollars to Prof. Hunter
and got sixteen boxes of the parasites.
but by the time they arrived we had
pl nty of parasites of our own which
seemed to have grown right along with
the green bugs.
''Pasturage has been very short with
us this spring, and L have to turn my
stock in on the alfalfa for while, and
thus set back the first cutting of al
falfa''