The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-20
La FoLLErTE ON BRIsrow.


Weekly Magazine, the new publica-
ton edited and controlled by Robert
NJ. La Toilette, United States senator
from Wisconsin. is an interesting ar
ticle on Senator Joe Bristow of Kan
sas under the caption, 1.-THE Roll Call
on Men and Measures" 1t is in part
as follows:
"The fact that Joseph L. Bristow
of Salina, Kansas. became United
States senator by defeating for re-
election Senator Chester I. Long of
Medicine Lodge. pet of the System"
and budding protege of the Aldrich
machine, is one of the reasons why
the ''old guard" in the senate re-
ceived him with no especial enthu-
siasn that you could notice.
Another reason goes back a half
dozen years to the time when Joe
Bristow was Fourth Assistant Post
master General and. under the orders
of the president. dug up and exposed
the grating in the postoffice de-
partment and got together the evil
dence that sent some of the grafters
to the penitentiary. Some of these
grafters were very pleasant gentle
men" They had made themselves
solid" with the majority in both
houses of congress. Twice, when ru-
nors of wrong-doing grew persist
ent, they had been Investigated by
congress, and congress liked them so
well that shortly before they were
exposed by Bristow it had ap-
priated money to increase their sal
aries
incidentally it came out in the
course of the investigation that SEN
ators and representatives were obli
gated to these pleasant gentlemen"
for favors to postmaster friends back
home-favors which under the postal
laws and regulations the postoffice
gentlemen were forbidden to grant.
1t was never determined just how
bad congress was in with the grafters,
but the disclosures amounted to a
substantial reproach to the member
ship of both houses. OF course the
charges were much exaggerated in
the newspapers and, although it was
shown that Bristow was in no way
responsible for the publication of the
facts or for their exaggeration by the
newspapers, congress laid off
for two days to "vindicate" itself and
everlastingly stamp that man" Bris-
tow into the earth. But this didn't
kill Joe" Bristow. On the contrary
he came right on up.
1.-THE third and principal reason,
and one which includes all the other
reasons, why Bristow's advent in the
senate was not an occasion for joy
Gus demonstration by the regular"
machine is that Bristow is a pro-
gressive Republication and I'M
fraid. Add to this a Sherlock Holmes
investigative turn of mind and high
order of ability and an inordinate
appetite for hard work, and you have
a combination that couldn't possibly
augur any additional comfort or
peace of mind for the smooth-run-
ming Aldrich machine.
probably it did not matter much
to Bristow; his reception in the SEN
ate. Anyway, he came.-long, lank,
and shaggy, like an old bear-dog,
with a nose that never leaves the
trail of a crooked thing until the
game is bagged. He has only been
in the senate the few weeks of the
tariff session, but he has struck a
scent'-a hot trail in the tariff
jungle. He has followed it up
through the schedules to the duties
on pig lead and white lead. He has
the Smelter trust at bay"
After commenting on Mr.. Bristow
in this wise, Senator La Follette's
paper reprints the salient features of
the clashing debate between Senator
Rristow and Senator Aldrich over
the lead schedules and which attract
ed so much attention throughout the
country. Some of the excerpts from
this debate with Senator La FoHette's
comment on them follows:
At this the senator from Indiana
(Mr. Beveridge) said:
Mr.. President, 1 am trying to I'M
derstand the bill. I heard yesterday
and 1 have heard again today the
request for vote when senators were
trying to understand the bill I see
precisely the source from which it
came. The gentlemen who make
that request do not have to fight any
battles of their party when the bill
comes up for consideration be-
fore the people. 1t would
not fall upon the shoulders of the
senator's who, a moment ago, when
the senator from Kansas (Mr. Bris-
tow arose, asked from their chairs
for a vote. thus trying to take him
off his feet Those senators in the
next campaign will not be on the
battle field
Still the senator from Kansas was
not recognized. The colloquy ran
along a few minutes. Then the fol-
lowing took place:
Mr.. Hale. Let US have a vote,
Mr.. President
Mr.. Aldrich. THAT is the question
now before the senate
Mr.. Bristow. "Mr. President, this
is the third time that vote has been
called for on these paragraphs while
I have been on my feet asking to get
the recognition of the Chair. am
a new member here, and possibly I