The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-30

lOlaDLE
ershfp of railroads is government op-
Grafton, and If the time ever comes
when I must choose between govern
ment ownership with private opera
ton, or private ownership with gov
eminent operation. I Will be for gov
Grafton. When regulation is carried
TO such an extreme that it is de-
structive Of private business, when the
exactions and requirements are so
onerous that private business cannot
be conducted with profit. then let gov
eminent ownership come But let US
hope that our laws may be such that,
while they will not permit the stror
10 Cypress the weak yet they may give
opportunity for private effort and per-
sOnaI endeavor SO that we may con-
tinue TO be a nation Of Hberty-loying
people who are in fact free and in
dependent
calls Attention to His Record.
''F'orty-eight years have passed
since Kansas became part Of the IN
ion and in all those eventfuI years she
has done her part toward the advance
ment OF civilization and the progress
of the race Her people have been
active along many lines of human en-
deavor, and, while they have lacked
the conservatism of the older states.
they have always been quick to
change their position when convinced
they were on the wrong side I have
served the people Of Kansas six years
in the house OF representatives and
six years in the senate During that
time have claimed the right to have
opinions Of my own on public ques-
lions and to vote and speak in accor-
dance with those opinions. Twice I
have been retired from office because
was not in accord with the prevail
ing public opinion at the time in my
district and state. I was against free
silver in 1895 and suffered defeat be-
cause my district was for it I have
- ~
roads and other corporations in the
senate but have always declined to
support extreme and radical measures
For this reason defeat has come to me
in the senate as it did in the house
IF had my term to serve again I
would not now take d different course
from that which I took before. I
have no apologies to make to the peo-
pie Of Kansas for the record that
have made in the senate I am proud
Of it. as I was of that which made
in the house bow to the will of the
people as expressed in a party pri-
mary in which members of all parties
fully and freely participated and thus
produced a result that could not have
been secured If participation had been
confined to the members Of the pa
to which I belong. I am not here to-
night to complain or find fault with
that result accept the decision OF
the state this time as I did that OF
my congressional district before I
was right then and believe I am
right now. Time indicated my posi-
ton then and I expect it TO do so
again shall return TO the state as
a private citizen and engage In bust
ness and in the practice of nv pro-
fessfon- fully appreciate this oppor-
tunity Of being here tonight and join
with you in sending greetings to those
who are also celebrating this ami
versary in the capital of our state on
the prairtes Of far-off Kansas
Campbell and the Prairie.
Congressman P P. Campbell re-
sponded to the toast: Some Differ
ences Between the Kansas Prairies
Mr.. Campbell, among other things
said:
4 do not recall anything Of the
KIND that has impressed me more
than summers day on the Kansas
prairie
The memory Of it is SO vivid that
1 can see It now in all its simple
routine and gentle grandeur The
screening sun and the fretfuI wind of
the nidsummer's afternoon made the
waving blue-stem look like something
alive In its motion it was not un-
hke the swells OF a Pacific sea IN
der a semi-tropicaI sun The sun
CLINT on the stem and the heat rays
nervously rising, gave the horizon
the appearance of consuming heat
These were long afternoons. 1t
seemed 70 me when a boy IN the field
with a work that must be done, that
the day would never pass
There was q place. and I can see
II now where the sun seemed 70
stand stu 1t was about half past
FOUR in the afternoon I feel sure
that It stopped in the same place
Where Joshua. on that occasion,
needed more time
But there is an end to all things,
and those long afternoons at last
slowly Waned. and was followed by
a summers evening The rays Of the
sun were softened, and the wind
gradually went down The almost
white, and fervent rays OF the after
noon sun were now turned to a soft
ana goIden sheen that spread gently
over the landscape These soft and
1ading rays as they came from the
ridge that spanned the horizon on
Its west, soothed the prairie and all il
contained When the sun sank out
OF sight, and the wind had gone to
rest the stiffness was broken only by
the having calves and impatient
swine. The light gradually went out
behind the ridge-over where the
sun went down. and twilight faded
slowly into night.
The chores were done The evening
meal was over. There was no noise
nor traffic, and outside, only the light
go; no evening papers to be read. The
kerosene lamp was lighted and the
FAMILY gathered around the table An
old. WelI-worn book was opened, open
50 ITSELF, where the comforting assur-
ance is given that He will not forget
the widow and the fatherIess'' or per
haps that place where II tells about
mansions in the Fathers House After
the reading OF a chapter. all kneeIed
while the brave mother who was strug-
III,