The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-20
Nay Become Wilson's Successor
as Secretary of Agriculture.
THEN FOR MITCHELL
Would Open Place in Congress
for Lawrence Man.
Stirring Scenes in Kansas as
Seen by Mr.. BOtkin.

Inc Iopeka correspondent for the
Kansas City Journal has sent his pa
per story reviving the talk of Kan
san for place in the presidents cab
met and Congressman Charles F.
Scott of lola, is the latest slate for the
job. 1t is generally understood that
Secretary Wilson, holder of the port
folio of agriculture for more years
than most people can remember, is
going to resign this year. as he has
now completed his record of serving
longer in the cabinet than any other
person, living or dead, and President
Taft is quoted by recent callers to the
effect that he wouIu Iixe to have a
Kansas man in his cabinet as secre-
tary of agriculture and was open for
the suggestion of names. The only
two Kansans prominently mentioned
for the place are Secretary f. D. Co
burn of the state board of agriculture
and Congressman Scott of the second
district.
Coburn has refused to allow his
name to be mentioned for the place in
the past, preferring to remain in Kan
sas to residence in Washington even
I'm the capacity of United States SEN
ator or cabinet officer If Coburn is
still of the same mind then it looks
like Scott to certainty. but If Mr.
Coburn tries for the place the Scott
Representative Alex Mitchell of
Douglas county has been mentioned as
a candidate for congress from the sec
ond district, but refused to talk about
the matter himself. feeling that he
could not win against Scott where
Henry Allen had failed. but if Scott
goes to the cabinet then look out for
the Lawrence lawyer.
Here is the way the Kansas City
Journal sizes up the situation:
has kept in closer touch with the fed
eral agricultural department than any
other man, except Secretary Wilson.
He has made a deep study of every
branch of the work of that depart
ment- As chairman of the house COM
mittee on agriculture he felt it neces-
sary to know all about the depart
ment. Through his committee all the
appropriations for the agriculture de-
partment are made and he had to be
able to defend each and every item of
various bills as they came up for con-
sideration. His liberality in dealing
with the agricultural interests has also
gained friends for him both in and
out of the department. Secretary Will
SON has let it be known in no uncer-
tain language that when he retires
from the agricultural department he
wants to see Mr.. Scott succeed him.
Secretary Coburn would have been a
formidable candidate for the place had
he not given 1t out months ago that he
had lost all ambition to become secre-
tary of agriculture In any presidents
cabinet.
Here is my place. said he tapping
his finger on the desk in his office In
the state agricultural board. know
this work and love it. 1 know Kansas
and love her I know the people OF
Kansas and love them. Then why leave
them for a new work that might not be
congenial or for which I might not be
suitable?'
That is the way that Coburn looked
at it when his name was being freely
mentioned for the place before. There
is every reason to believe that he has
not changed his mind. In fact, his
original opinion has likely beer
strengthened. Since he made that
statement the people of Kansas have
raised his salary an extra 81, 200 a year
Some time ago Senator Curtis stated
that he would present Mr.. Coburn's
name for consideration, but this likely
will not be done unless Mr.. Coburr
will say in advance that he would take
the place If 1t were rendered to him
Presidents of the United States do moi
offer cabinet positions to be declined
The candidate under consideration is
always sounded in advance. II 'Barku:
Is willing then his name is considered
along with the rest; if he isn't willing
then it is dropped. So when Presiden
Taft comes to making a new secretary
of agriculture it will be up to Mr.. Co
Dnfn TO say Ills say lISl, anu Int
chances are that he will tell them tha
he would not take the place if rendered
MIN. which it wouldn't be under tht
circumstances"
Speaking of the article in the Stat,
Journal the other day about th'
legislature of 1865 when it was. pro
posed by resolution to pay the farme
members of that body with stra.
Texas cattle picked UP by the stat'
rotary OF State Frank Botkin of th'
time when the citizens of Labett'
county organized themselves into
vigilance committee and killed abou
n hundred head of Texas cattle whicl
we're duartered at Mound Vale,
while being driven to Kansas City b,
a company of cowboys. This event il
early border history occurred in 1867
lust a year before the legislature o
1868 convened. Kansans were thel
terribly afraid of having their cattl
infected with Texas fever from tn
herds from the Lone Star state and a
the quarantine law was frequently
violated at that time the citizens of
ten took the law into their own hand
killing all Texas cattle that wer
driven across the Kansas border
While the Texas cowboy was re
garded as bad citizen in a skirmisl
vet the Kansas jayhawkers. eX-Uniol
soldiers and plainsmen also hai
reDutations as being hard men to dea
with when there was trouble in tn
wind
Mr Botkin was only a little boy o.
the night of the killing of that herd o
cattle in Mound Valley but he re
mcmbered the episode distinctly
THE men assembled at our house
which was near Mound Valley" h
said. land my brother Jerry (Demo
cratic nominee for governor last year
and my father and most of our neigh
bors formed a body selected for tn
adventure. The party ali carried gun