The Topeka state journal., 1908-06-24

1907, when he finally yielded and de-
cided to be a candidate, and when !
he promised me to make his first |
speech as a presidential candidate in |
Kansas. he told me Of his relutance
at giving up the chief eJusticeship.
Later, President Roosevelt called |
him to Washington to be secretary of |
war Here, I think, was his greatest |
executive work. He still had execu- |
tive charge of the Philippine islands
and their policy, but the work he had
laid down could now be completed by |
other hands. But he also had the
canal, that great enterprise that had
caused so much worry and considera-
ton. Then when the Cuban tangle
came, it was he, whom the president
sent to the island to allay the strife |
and set up a provisional form of gov
ernment. He did this successfully.
He has met the questions that came
up and cheerfully gone to the bottom
of them. While others would have
given up in despair at the unequal
struggle, he has been as imperturbable
and energetic as human being could
be. His avidity for work. big, hard
work. exceeds that of any man have
ever known. He delights in the great
problems of administration, and that
Is why he Is the man to continue the
work of President Roosevelt
While he was telling the Belleville
audience of the presidential candidate.
Senator Long had the enthusiastic at
tention of his hearers frequently
marked with demonstration. for the
people seem to love Taft as much as
they do the president himself. They
seemed to know too. that they were
hearing about him from a man who
knew him well and was one of the
| first to blaze the way for his nomina-
ton.
kansas is no bandwagon state,"
said Senator Long "A bandwagon
| state or a bandwagon man is one that
| climbs on after the vehicle has started
| on its unimpeded course to the goal.
| Kansas is not that kind. Kansas was
| in ON the bandwagon building. Kan
sas helped make the wagon for other
people to get into. Kansas was early
In the Taft movement. and 1 am
| proud of the part l took in it. I felt
| that 1 knew Taft well in my years in
Washington. 1 had long admired his
Philippine island career, and had
known him well as secretary of war.
| had the fortune to be with him on his
| trip to the Orient three years ago, and
| that made me Taft man through and
through I felt that he was the man
to carry out the Roosevelt policies,
| and 50 do you
AS he said this, the audience ad-
mitted it did SO by cheering en-
| Enthusiastically.
| Senator Long told how he asked
|
| ington, the March morning in 1907,
| after Taft had decided the evening be-
fore to make the race, to give Kan
sas an early speaking date. He did SO
at once, and SO, months afterwards.
| June 19, 1907. the secretary spoke at
the Ottawa chautauqua. That was
great gathering and put Taft into the
| hearts of Kansas beyond all doubt.
Then, as Senator Long recalled, Kan
sas was almost the first state after
fn rrfx 1nI~ - -
secretary of war
Senator Long arrived in Belleville
from Clay Center yesterday morning
on belated train. He was met at
| the station by a few friends, and as
soon as he got uptown started out to
go around the courthouse square. He
visited all the stores, offices, etc, and
put in good forenoon. Friends and
supporters from Narka, Republic,
Scandia, and other sections of the
country came in to see him. They all
talked like men who knew how public
/ sentiment was, and the general i'm
preston seems to be that Senator Long
will carry the county.
Late in the afternoon. after his
speech at the courthouse, Senator Long
was driven to Scandia. a distance of
ten miles, and made speech there
last night to a fair sized audience.
Scandia has been the seat of the
square dealers of Republic county for
many years, due largely to its editor.
A. B. Kimball, who has since moved to
Belleville and bought Tom" Charles
paper, the Freeman. Kimball sowed
the seeds of discomfort. however. and
there is considerable "anti' feeling now
existing at Scandia. Senator Long
made a good speech, and pleased his
friends, who are working as hard in
that section for him as elsewhere in
the county.
Senator Long caught late train
out of Scandia last night-all Rock
Island trains are now very late owing
to the great damage done that road in
the Republican valley-and went to
Mankato. where he is putting in a
busy day today, covering the entire
county, visiting and speaking.
The two Republican papers at Belle
vile are run by A. @. Miller, who has
the Telescope, and A. B. KimbalI, who
has the Freeman. Both are young
men, both comparatively new in the
community, and both aggressive. Mil
Ter is making the fight for Long, and
Kimball for Bristow. Miller formerly
lived at Clinton. and then was at Vic
tor, Colorado. where he was business
manager of the Record, a paper that
had a stormy career during the labor
days. Associated with him was Geo
Kyner of Junction City and Arthur
Greene, son of Colonel A. r. Greene
Young Greene is now at Portland
Oregon. Miller came here, and has
built up in three years one of the best
country papers In the state.
The Kimballs and the Huffs are two
! newspaper families that have about
: run things in the Fifth district fol
years. though they are scattering now
| n Kimball has been In Republi(
county, while two of his brothers rur
the Manhattan Mercury. All ars
square dealers, though their father, ]
NJ, an old soldier. is a strong Lons
man and circulated the senator's peti
; tion in his ward. There was time