The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-23
He COOLED OFF.
Inside Facts of Col. Bent MUIR
docks Appointment.
Had Indignantly Refused Posi-
tiOn OF Game Warden.
ONLY FEW KNEW WHY
Was Promised Position of Pen.
sion Agent at Topeka.
Persuaded to Accept Minor Place
Pending Negotiations"

There was mild surprise on every
hand when Col Bent Murdock, the FL
Dorado editor, accepted the appoint
ment of fish and game warden at the
hands of Governor Stubs recently.
Col. Bent had refused the place from
Governor Hoch and parted company
with the Marion man over this ap-
pointment. 1t has been we'll known for
some time that your Uncle Bent was
after something a good deal better than
the fish and game warden's place. 1t
had been rumored ever since Stubbs'
election that Murdock had been prom
ised something much better than this
for his support of the square deal can
didate and when he was let down with
this simple life commission it was eX-
pected that there would be roar ema-
nate from the fastness of the old lion
Of FL Dorado that could be heard all
over the state. Well, Uncle Bent was
too astonished to roar when this crumb
of bread was handed him instead of the
big slab of meat that he expected. He
snorted and swore by the nine gods
that he would not take the meaSiy
place. Then, when it was expected thai
the colonel would draw his tomahawk
and take the war trail he came to To-
peka and quietly accepted the place
Everybody was astounded and the
very glad that it was so.
But. as the breakfast foods ads say
there is a reason. Your Uncle Bent had
been promised a much better place than
that of caring for the big game in the
Kansas jungles and the little fishes in
the streams. w r. Stubbs and Will
lam Alien White were the men who
made the promises. none less, and the
place promised was that of pension
commissioner for the Topeka district,
none less. which has the alluring salary
of 81, 600 attached.
There has been a lot of talk in Kan
sas and in Washington over the federal
appointments for this state and the
wise ones have figured it out that SEN
ators Curtis and Bristow will finally
agree to apportion the fat places be-
tween them-this is what Bristow in
sists on. In these divisions of the spoils
suggested it can always be noticed that
Bristow is given the places of district
attorney and pension commissioner.
Well, since William Allen White, the
man who elected Bristow. has already
promised these places. the first to a
Lyon county lawyer named Huggins
and the other to your Uncle Bent. why
of course Bristow insists on these two
particular cuts from the pie Now
Huggins has been mentioned for place
by the Kansas and Washington politi-
clans, and also various other well known
place hunters in this state have been
talked of for the different federal jobs
az the disposal of the Taft administra-
tion. but the name of Col Murdock,
rever. Yet Murdock has copper-rivet-
ed double-geared promises more direct
and binding than any of the others.
The only fear now is that Bristow will
not have this pie to pass out.
When the colonel begun to snort over
the mess of porridge that had been
handed to him on a wooden platter all
covered by a silk napkin of fair words
the square deal leaders realized that
this shunt to the sidetracks would never
do for the Murdock car a--d they again
got busy with promises. The colonel
was called to Topeka and both Will
lam Allen White and Governor Stubbs
reiterated their promises that he should
vet have his hearts desire which is
10 say the place of -ansion cornmis-
isoner; that the fish and game Job was
only a temporary makeshift to occupy
his mind until the pension commission
er place was ready. Let him take the
place and lull the wise ones to sleep
and then when the time come for the
carving of the big pie with the luscious
juices why they would see to It that
Bristow 7laced the right piece on the
right plate. So your Uncle Bent cool
ed down and placing his pride in his
pocket accepted the fish job and be-
gun to talk cheerfully about the time
when he used to dig bait and poke rab
bits out Of the brush pile: If there
should be hitch then Uncle Bent
would have to be satisfied with what he
has-th5 administration couldn't he
charged with ingratitude and NAV fan
in love with his private fish and game
car and spend the rest of his days in If
travelling over the state; some other
Kansas patriot may land the place at
the head of the Topeka pension office:
William Allen White may get a lob as
private secretary to the Sultan of Tur-
key: Governor Stubbs may resign his
Office to go into partnership with w Y
Morgan in the publication of the Hutch
inson News Kansas may desert the
prohibition column Of states, all things
are possible in politics and it is the
unexpected that usually happens. but
one thing is sure and true and that is
that your Uncle Bent has always want
ed the job of pension commissioner
and he was promised the place last
year by Governor Stubs and William
Allen White, and these promises were
reiterated last month. and the strength
of them the sage of ElDorado was
persuaded to accept a lemon while wait
ing for the big piece of pie.
The federal jobs will soon be banda5
out, so it viii not be long to wait TO
see who's who in Kansas and whether
Stubs and White are able to deliver
the goods"
The proprietors of the First Ma
tional bank of Stafford seem 10 ba
pretty well satisfied with the pres
ent banking laws of the state, ac-
cording to the following letter thev
sent TO the State Journal:
I'VE notice an article in your
paper of the 21st from a STAFFORD
correspondent stating the Kansas
bankers were going to test the law in
reference to bank directors owninp AZ
least $500 worth of stock before thev
are eligible to become a director of
the bank in which they are a stock
holder. Thinking the reading public
might believe this article was writ
ten by some one connected with this
Institution, we being the only state
bank here. L wish to say that there