The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-27
PETERS HAPPY DAYS.
Kansas Ex-senator Thinks Many of
His Ideas Are Popular Now.

| Ills lucas are Popular NOW.
Washington, June 27.-"The country
now holly demands legislation 1t abused
evils against which it now cries OUT
1t is with sense of the utmost sat
! isfaction that William A. PETER, for
! mer United States senator from Kan
sas, reverts to the part he has played
In public affairs. In the current trend
| of the peoples will he sees a vindica-
! ton of his theories and, in part at
| least, a fulfillment of what as a sena-
tor he demanded. He beholds the new
political era with the composure OF a
statesman who feels that he has cone
what he could for the people.
Ex-senator PETER is spending the de-
Ginning years of his life in Washington
at the home of his daughter, Mrs. ]. S.
McIlhenny on Riggs place. On Sep
TENDER 10 next he will be rs years old.
He was born in Cumberland county,
Pa. In appearance he has changed but
little from the PETER who edited the
Kansas Farmer back in the sos.
Few men bear the years as does the
Kansas statesman. For the past six
years he has been engaged in the COM
pilation of an index by subjects to the
debates OF congress. He is now COM
pleting this work and it will be pub
lished next winter He has prepared it
under the direction of the senate and
it will be published in connection with
the records of congress. 1t is believed
liable index of congressional proceed
ings that has ever been compiled. In
its preparation Mr.. PETER has labored
hard. He has a desk in the senator's
reading room at the Congressional Ii
brary where he works from 9 till 5.
Frequently he spends his evenings
searching the records of the house and
senate.
When the correspondent called on
Mr.. PETER he was in his library. With
him was his little grandson, to whom
he is deeply attached. The child was
born the day after the death of Mrs.
PETER and Mr.. PETER feelingly re-
ferred to the two events which came
almost together. The child is his grand
fathers companion. The aged Kansan
remarked that the years had brought
him contentment. He had his books,
his work and this little boy" Since
he retired from the senate ten years
ago. Mr.. PETER has mingled little with
his former colleagues. In that time
the senate. That was when he called
on Senator Chester. L. Long regarding
a personal matter.
LAS a senator I anticipated some of
said Mr.. PETER. early in my service
in the senate I introduced bill for
the regulation of the railroads. 1t
would have compelled the great rail-
road systems to submit to govern
mental body report or their affairs
This would have brought about easily
and naturally an adjustment of traf-
fic rates. But at that time the condi-
tions were different from what they
now are. The volume or our business
was not so great and the country was
not so prosperous. My bill was not
passed I alone urged 1t. For my adj
Vocacy of it and other measures in
the interest of the people L was criti-
cised and sometimes abused. The car
toonists caricatured me. But 1 had
done what I conceived to by my duty
and I was not resentfuI. Since then
the great corporations have advanced
until now everybody realizes that they
must be controlled by the power of
the federal government. This will be
done. The people will take no back
ward step. You can not brighten the
farmer or the mechanic or the small
business man with talk of panic. Such
talk comes from the brokers of Wall
street. There will be no panic.
Now as to Mr.. Roosevelt. One can
hardly describe him. In some respects
he reminds you of Andrew Jackson.
He is firm and sagacious and in him
is the genius of government. He con-
ducts our public affairs as the success
full business man would manage
great corporation. Nothing escapes
him. In disposing of important ques-
lions he does not overlook the small
things that pertain to the welfare of
the country. He communicates the
impulse to the people and makes them
study public questions as no other
president has done. Their views con-
corning him find expression in his |
great popularity in every state. In all
sections of the country one hears the !
third term talk. Those who urge the |
president for another term do not |
know him. He has said that he will |
not be a candidate again and he will |
not be. I doubt if any man could be
elected on the third term issue. Pos |
sfbly Roosevelt could. In my opinion |
Secretary Taft is the man to succeed |
the president. He has great ability |
and everybody knows where he stands |
regarding the issues before US. He |
would be elected by a splendid ma
GRITTY"
"Will the Democrats nominate Mr.. |
at think not. 1 expect the Demo- |
cracy to present as Its candidate a |
man of the type of John G. Carlisle or |
Senator Daniel or Senator Culbertson. |
Why should it again select Bryan? The |
So called radical element of the Demo- |
cracy has followed Mr.. Roosevelt into |
the Republican party. What could |
Bryan do in the regulation of the cor |
porations that Roosevelt has not done |
or is now oidng? If the Republicans |
nominate a candidate in whom the |
people have confidence how can the |
Democrats expect to win Why should |
the people vote for Bryan or any other |
Democrat in preference to such a |
man? Bryan is sincere and resource
full but he will never be president. |
The issues of the next campaign will |
be the regulation of the corporations
and the elimination of Venality from