The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-11
Effect of Legislature on Future
of Politicians.
Speaker DOlley Has His Eye on
Stubbs' Chair.
STONES ASPIRATIONS.
Reported That He Would Like
to Go to Congress.
Cunningham Of COwley Also an
Aspirant.

| 1t is still too early to analyze the
work Of the legislature or to judge of
its effect. good or bad. on the state.
The two all important issues disposed
of by this body were the bank guaranty
law and the control of public utilities;
the first named was enacted in COM
promise form while the latter was mutt
lated and then killed. Both propositions
are experiments in Kansas. But If 1t is
too early yet to Judge of results of leg
islation that was enacted and of is
sues that were repudiated it is a sea-
sonable time to comment on the style
in which the work was performed and
on the manner of the men who held
the stage at Topeka in so days stand.
Many of these men are being men
toned in connection with fat state and
national offices. Their legislative job
was stewardship a preliminary test.
| j. N. DOlley, speaker of the house, Is
mentioned as the successor to Governor
Stubbs four years hence. and few peo-
pie would regard the matter seriously
Stone, of Shawnee, is talked of
candidate for congress from the First
! district. Stone introduced 72 bills more
or less, in the house, and was one of
the leaders in the fight for the utility
not Stones fault. The Topeka lawyer
is a quick-witted debater. able in his
grasp on public questions and wise in
his tactics when he appeals to the house
for votes. He was an administration
man all through the session.
Cunningham of Cowley is another
| member spoken of in connection for
place in the national house. Cum
ningham is a forceful speaker and
glutton of hard work. He got off
wrong on many questions and made
breaks in debate. However. both
Stone and Cunningham are of con-
| nTa a a
| Jewett of Sedgwick wants to be
| warden of the penitentiary. Jewett is
clever gentleman.
Will Beck clerk of the house, is be-
| ing groomed by friends for a state Of
| fee. probably secretary of state Beck
| is a dufet fellow. courteous but never
friendly. He did his work well, but
shows no signs of making good in
| The Democrats will search a long
time to find better gubernatorial tim
ber than Foley Of Rice county Thts
man is a live wire carrying 5000 volts
all the time. Able, quick, broad and
honest describes Foley.
Mitchell of Douglas carried the ad-
ministration burdens on the moor or
the house. While he is a most able
man. he won more friends by his
courtesy and genial manners than by
his arguments. If Mitchell asks for
a place higher up two years from now
he is almost sure to be accom-
There is talk of Fitzgerald for gov
ernor to succeed Stubbs. Ganse. Glen.
Cambern and Price are the senator's
most talked about.
It would hardly be fair to judge any
of these men mentioned by the Work
they accomplished in this legislature,
for the rank and file of the members alb
solutely refused to be led by any one
man or set of men. These leaders had
class and could have accomplished
much had they had a following. but
there was no one for them 70 leao- II
was like the case of the great ingalls,
when his masterpieces OF oratory fell
to the ground before the sweep OF
Peffer's whfskers.
The first square deal legislature dld
NOT work very smoothly. 1t could
hardly be called a success And yet
there is no one at this time upon
whom to lay the blame. Later these
comparisons can be made with the
work of the 1909 and 1911 legislatures
will the true opinion be handed down.
There is one Stubbs appointment
that has aroused lot of unfavorable
discussion over the state and that Is
the placing of Bishop Lillis at the
head of the school book commission.
The opposition to the able Catholic
is not because OF his
creed but rather is based upon the
well known fact that Catholics as a
rule favor the building up of their
own private schools rather than pub
lie schools. 1t is also claimed that
there is not a single member of the
text book commission appointed by
the governor who has at this time the
slightest practical knowledge of the
needs of the schools in the book line
or who is in touch to the slightest de-
gree with the text books of this gen
Grafton There is not practical
school man on the commission. Every
member will have to go to work and
post himself on the subject.
This condition of affairs tends to bear
out the statement that Stubbs, in his
did not consider the in
terests of the state or its institutions
first but rather played to the gallery
bv appointing prominent and honest
men to places for which they had no
particular fitness either by training or
inclination.
Another case in point was the
moVal from the penitentiary board OF
John Seaton, an expert, who had been
a success in that difficult place for
many years, and the appointment of 4
banker from Hill City. John Dawson's
town. to the place. Hill City is 300
miles from Lansing, and Mr.. Mullaney
may be a good banker but no one
knows why he was selected for a place
on the penitentiary board.
Joe Longshore of Topeka is a clever
Young man but why he should be made
oil inspector rather than professor of
4 astronon1y at the state university is an
other problen that will never be solved
by the common everyday people OF
kansas.