The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-24


the senate from his district. Mr.
Veatch is an old soldier and q man of
strong character. He VIII probably be
able to come back"
Watson of Allen county viii try to
change from the lower to the upper
house. He is a veteran with a good
record and should make 1t interesting
for his old friend, Senator Travis. also
Of Allen county. The senatorial pri-
mary in Allen next summer should De
worth going miles to see-
F. S. Wettack of Montgomery coun-
ty, who served his first term in the
lower house last winter. is in position
to make the race for the senate and
viii likely do so. He ought to win on
his representative record.
A NJ. Keene of Bourbon and Davis Of
Kiowa, the two stars of the last house.
after bigger game. They have state
house or congressional class.
-Four or five other representatives are
thinking about the senatorial toga and
may announce next fall
In support Of his stand against over
DONG the banking business in any one
community, as per the Abilene bank
case this week, Bank Commissioners
Dolley cites the United States supreme
court decision in the Kansas bank
guaranty case as follows: I'VE cannot
say that the public interests to which
we have adverted, and others, are not
sufficient to warrant the state in tax
ing the whole business of banking un-
der its control. On the contrary we
are Of the opinion that it may go from
regulation to prohibition
Mr.. Dolley argues that the supreme
court decision above quoted was made
in the interest of the good of any COM
munlty and is in line with the state
law giving the charter board discre-
tionary powers regarding the number
of banks needed in q town. Bank fail
ures are blow to any town and state
supervision carried to the point of
prohibition" means, according to Mr.
Dolley's Interpretation, the restriction
of oversupply as well as the regulation
of banks already chartered.
If some meandering Alkali Ike had
not ridden his horse into a Hugcton
saloon on a summer day of the year
1887, then Arthur Capper, a candidate
for governor, might now have
been the editor OF the Hugoton Herrnes
and owner of real and personal valued
at about $500. Fate plays with mems
destiuies and often shows the most
successful how close he shaved the edge
of oblivion or failure.
In the early summer of 1887 Arthur
Capper, was one of the reporters on
the Topeka Capital. The kid reporter,
like others of his illk, wanted to own a
weekly newspaper, so one DAY ne start
ed for the great southwest on two
weeks layoff to try to locate a favor
able place where there was a crying
need for q live newspaper. Sam Wood
was then The whole thing in Stevens
county and he was the young reporter $
friend. So it was perfectly natural
that sTapper should have figured on one
of the southwest counties as worth an
investigation. He left the railroad at
La5in, in Kearney county, and started
overland for Ulysses, county seat OF
Grant This was in the days OF the
county seat wars in these counties and
they were having lively times. The
boom was on down there and golden
promises had been made for railroads.
The ponies pulling the stage ran
away before they had gone five miles
from Lakin and. the stage was turned
over BY the grace of the Lord, no
one was killed, but the young reporter
was fast gaining experience in the
great southwest. Other ponies were
procured and a fresh start made.
The first night at Ulysses was a
nightmare Men drank and gambled
and sWore and fought in The barro ON
of the hotel all night long. Sleep was
| impossible and even dangerous. Mr..
Capper left Ulysses the rex day and
hied him to Hugoton. There it was
even worse. Sam Wood was in the
hey-day of his powers and had not yet
dreamed that the bullet was moulded
tnaC WOulQ XIII MIN. Inc oloNSAS
/ county seat war was worse than that
4 in Grant county. A rowing desper-
ado rode his horse through the streets
and shot up the town. This sport final
| ly palled and the man rode his pony
through the barroom door and up in
front of the bar, where he demanded
drink. He got it.
Sam Woods took his protege around
town and lodged bullets and bad men
while he showed him the advantages
of locating in Hugoton. The day was
as hot as the hinges on the gates of
the lower regions Not a tree in fifty
miles. No water except the alkai va
riety. The barkeep and the faro deal
er were the only two busy men in the
village.
Capper was pressed to buy the
Hermes. He spared for wind. Next
morning early the Topeka reporter
was on foot and waiting for the stage
to Lakin. He was first one aboard.
And I have never been back there
since,'' said Mr.. Capper with a smile.
''It is a different country now to what
it was twenty years age. I have no
doubt. I really intended buy the
Hermes when I wnt down there. but
the freedom and reckless style of the
man on tn pony who carried a gun
and had a thirst killed my ambitions to
conduct the literary affairs of that
community He was too strong oppo-
sition. What if he had decided. on
his next visit to town. that he would
ride into my printshop?"
Congressman Anthony recently in
troduced a bill in congress embodying
an idea which has since been adopted
and which the war department says
will save the government nearly a
million dollars year.