The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-31
The Coming and Going of a Sen
atOr.
Many Packing Their Grips to
Say GOOdby.
SOME OF THEM STAY.
Haven't Moral Courage to Re-
turn to Old Home.
Drinking on Passenger Trains
Attracting Attention.

congress and men go from it, but the
ranks ara always full. The coming is
an experiment, the going is often a
tragedy. If the going is involuntary, it
is the death of ambition. of opportun-
ity. But the going means little 20 those
who remain. 1t is only when the eX-
perience comes home that it is appre-
ciated at its full value. The writer las
in mind now little incident OF only a
few months ago and which is of no
particular consequence in the great
days work. 1t was the occasion of the
departure of Senator Benson, of Kan
sans who had been superseded by SEN
ator Charles Curtis.
After the oath-taking by the latter
Mr.. Benson. instantly a private citizen,
shook hands with a. few of his recent
colleagues and retired quietly to the
cloakroom. All alone there, he as
sumed his overcOat and hat, picked up
a small suit case already packed, and
came out into the east door corridor
Here he stood for a moment and look
ed about him with an appearance or
abject loneliness and loss of hope
Finally he said to an attendant who
stood near. We'll, 1 guess I'll go to
the railroad station and start back for
the old homer And still alone and
unnoticed. he walked out of the door
and down the long front steps. 1t was
the end A simple incident, and yet
There are many men in>the house and
several in the senate whose public eX-
iStence is now measured by days
When the curtain rings down at nigh
noon on March 4 it is back to the law
office and the farm to pick up again
the loose threads which were dropped
long ago. There they will find younger
men who have grown into their places,
and after all the years they VIII begin
near the foot of the ladder again. Inc
great, busy world looks on man VINO
has been forced out of congress as
something of a failure and a political
has-been is about as pitiable an OBJECT
as the world contains. The city OF
Washington is full of them. There are
scores of ex-congressmen here who
never had the moral courage to go
back home. They have essayed to PICK
up living at any occupation which Of
fered an opening. law practice, lobby
ing real estate-anything which gave
them a chance to hang on
John 3. Quinn of Paola, Kan. who is
at the Ebbitt, says that the only place
in Kansas where liquor was drunk pup
1iclv is in the railroad passenger trains.
1T is estimated that 80 per cent OF
the school children of Kansas never
saw a saloon. or the sale OF nquor
made" said Mr.. Quinn "All the joints
in the state have been cleaned out ex-
cept in two places, and the attorney
general expects to clean these places
ont within a very short time rms
only leaves drinking and selling on
have quit selling liquor on their dining
or buffet cars through Kansas, but
they claim they have no authority TO
prevent public drinking in the trains.
Senator and Mrs Chester I. Long, of
Kansas. have as their house guests their
niece. Miss Gertrude Capley of Kansas
City and her brother, Frank Capley'
for the holidays. Later in the week
the Misses Abraham will be added to
the party. Mrs. Long will give a dance
in honor of her house guests January
J. Senator Long himself is in Kansas
to attend the Saturday Night club ban
Quet.
Christmas night Senator and Mrs.
Long entertained the members of the
Kansas delegation and their families at
a Christmas tree party, followed by
dance.
Rev. DR.. Thomas L. Will. former
president of the Manhattan college,
kas. preached at the Peoples church
Sunday morning. DR.. VIII used for his
theme THE kingdom of Good on
Earth" He said the Peoples church
had important work to do which should
not be permitted to halt because their
trusted leader. the Rev. Alexander
Kent, had passed away
Kansas postmasters appointed: Paul
Ruder. jr.. at Schoenchen; William j.
Granger at Netawaka; Henry T. Ash
J. A GilleIand of Hutchinson, Kan, |
is registered at the St. James hotel
In the hearings held recently be- |
fore the house committee on military |
affairs the members manifested no |
little curiosity concerning the cost of
the horsemanship tests to which all |
army officers are now subjected as |
a demonstration of their physica! fit |
ness This equestrian test has been |
in vogue long enough to ascertain |
something of the expense of the pro- |
ceeding. II was made known to the |
that during the past year /
the draft upon the mileage for official |
travel performed by officers from |
their stations to the place where the |
rides were held amounted to $10,49O. !
This. of course. does not take into |