The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-02

ure giving additional power to the
Interstate Commerce commission.
have told you why I cannot do this"
Though after Wall street and Aid
rich and the railroad senators had
decided that they could do it Long,
on the final vote of the Hepburn bill,
voted for the bill with Wall street
and that, too. squarely against his
own declaration.
But Long at Wichita stood the fire
and was silent. His vote and voice
were needed by Kansas, but he
ducked and shifted. In his speech he
said. turning to Mr.. Howard chair
man of the resolutions committee:
MY position on this general ques-
ton is well known and repeatedly
stated" though he would not state
it at the meeting.
NO" roared Mr.. Howard
You do not know where stand ?''
asked the sauve senator smiling. 81
have written to you many times and
explained my position"
Mr. Howard replied: you have
never come out and stated your posi-
ton. You have had considerable
correspondence with me, but never
stated where you stood"
you have visited me several times
at Washington and have talked this
matter over. haven't you, Mr. How
ard?" asked the smooth senator,
playing with this rugged, sincere, OPP
pressed shipper for the fun of it.
Il have in a general way, and I
have felt that in the end you might
line up with us. but you never got so
far as to state what your position
would be-" replied Howard.
Here we find Wall street having
fun with the people; senator
showing his power He smiled COM
placently and asked again: you sent
70. Xy,c III, :.
you not, to see how 1 stood?''
The constituent, ]. E. Howard presi-
dent OF the Howard mills of Wichita,
a prominent Kansas shipper answered
the senator: Il did not send him per-
sonally, but it was my influence with
others to get Mr.. Davidson to go to
Washington, believing because of his
personal friendship for you. that you
would perhaps commit yourself with
him after you had declined with me.
and in our anxiety to know that you
stood with us, Mr.. Davidson went to
Washington and undertook to find out
how you stood" 1t was moment of
triumph. Tor the senator and he laugh
ed: Mr.. Davidson did not find out
much-more than you did-did he?"
And the haraSsed shipper replied hum
bly,: Mono. he did not
This dialogue is reprinted from the
wichita Eagle, and Longs friends have
pointed to them with pride to show
how he crushed those who dared OPP
pose him.
Wall street was giving Kansas a les
son, lesson that Chester 1. Long will
always repeat to any constituent, or
any body of constituents that dares to
question his divine right to boss Kan
sas politics, and vote Wall streets in
tereSts.
And then and there at that meeting,
fiery, red-faced. red-headed and mad
rose young Victor Murdoch and cried
In the face of the boss: "This is more
than a problem-it is an issue Eight
men control 10000 of the 212,OO0 miles
of the American railroads. These men
have many powerful senators who are
going to fight for the railroads, unin-
spired by the sense of justice and inn
which actuates you. These
senators form a group against the
and added: Opposed to them is a
group who stand with the president
The newspapers class you with the
doubtful, encouraging the one (the rail-
road group, discouraging the other
lthe presidents friends. 1t is now a
You have courage. You have
the finest analytical mind in Kansas,
but your analytical mind is getting
you into trouble, and US into trouble"
And the applause that followed was a
tumult
anu yet III spite OI lndC there stood
Long in 1905-against Kansas and with
Wall street. There he stands now. He
has not changed. Wall street has not
changed. THE criminal rich" against
whom Theodore Roosevelt still protests,
need senator today, as they needed
one three years ago, and will need one
during all this generation and the next
And whenever they have needed Long
they have had him. He has the ana
lytical mind of Charles the First and
Louis XIV. He learns nothing. He
forgets nothing Not even when his
head drops in the basket
Now the trouble with the analytical
mind is that it's owner frequently has
clay feet. The clay feet of the Louises
and the Charleses were concerned |
largely with the Ladies' They had |
their Pompadours, their DuBarrys.
their Nell Gwynns-ladies of rather
elastic morals who consumed the peo-
pies treasure and scorned the hands
that fed them-sleek, we'll fed, well |
groomed, charming, good fellows, oblig- |
too much so-but let that |
pass; and in the end they got the ana
lytical minds of the good merry mon
archs into vast trouble Chester Longs
clay feet have not to do with the Ia
dies" but with the gentlemen. His |
DuBarrys, his Pompadours and his |
Jim Simpson. Bill Mackey-once a court |
favorite in the Burton reign-and a |
number of other delightful persons, |
persons, we'll kept. we'll groom |
ed. slick and merry withal, known as
the machine AS the kings turned
from the people to tread the primrose
paths of dalliance with their huzzies. |
SO, shamelessly, brazenly and at great
hazard does Chester 1. Long, with the
mind and the clay feet, turn |
from the honest people of Kansas, and |
their legitimate needs, to satisfy the
improper demands of these painted Ia
lies of Kansas politics, the men who |
made the machine.
Now, there is no question of the per-
sonal honesty according to their lights
IF these Kansas politicians who reign
IN Longs COURT nor was there any
question of the honesty Of the women
at Versailles and ST. James, according
" to their Lights. They said their