The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-31
HIS HAIR THIN
President Taft Called Turn on
Dan Anthony.
Kansan Was Making Big Talk
for an Appointment.
TAFT WAS PREOCCUPIED
He Viewed Growing Badness
With Alarm.
MurdOck Says He's Independ-
ent, Not Republican.

+ Washington, Dec. SL-Here is a good
story going the rounds of the press
| galleries of congress about Kansas
| tallest congressman, who happens to
represent the First district:
Dan R Anthony, the monolithic
member of the house from Kansas,
more than six and half feet tall, ana
three feet wide at the shoulders, gam
boiled into the White House the other
morning to see VIII Taft Ushered
into the presidents office at the same
time, was Congressman Samuel W.
Smith of Michigan, who weighs proba-
bly, SO pounds when clad in his heavy
ulster.
1t was an odd-looking gathering
the huge president, the colossal Dan of
Kansas and the diminutive Smith of
Michigan.
Mr.. Anthony plunged at once into
the matter he had come for-an ap-
pointment he wished to put through.
He talked with much earnestness for
four or five minutes while the president
stared up at him like a man looking
for. a pigeon on top OF the Metropoh-
tan tower. AS he came to his perora-
ton, Dan is said to have worded his
sentences with extra care, and tried
to make every phrase count. He was
within sight of his final period when
at him preoccupiedly, interrupted him
by remarking, irrelevantly and almost
in alarm:
why, Dan, your hairs actually
getting thin. isn't it?''
The correspondent of the State Jour
nal cannot vouch for the truthfulness
of this story. but they do say the fore
going details are true.
There will be a row in the next ses-
sion of the house-the extra session
which will be called in March," re-
marked Congressman Victor Murdock
of Kansas, the original insurgent.
Nobody knows" he added, what
the Progressives will do, but there VIII
be a row. do not think any one can
forecast the policy to be pursued by the
Progressives. There are not many Pro-
gressives in the present house; the Pro-
gressives will come into the next house.
For my part, I have no idea what
may happen, but the Progressives win
be a most important part of congress:
that can be depended on.
Am I a Republican? Not a Repub-
lican that will go into caucus under
the leadership of Minority Leader
Mann.
"I did not support Mr. Mann in the
last caucus, and shall not in the next.
am an independent; shall not follow
Mr.. Mann. or the element in the Re
H B. Lapham of Lorton. Va, a
former resident of the Sunflower
state, was a member of the Ninth
Kansas cavalry during the war. Re
Gently he applied for a pension.
Thereupon this astonishing situation
became known: No member of the
Ninth Kansas has ever drawn a pen
sion and Mr.. Lapham is the first to
apply for a pension allowance In or
der to have his application considered
he must get five other members OF
the regiment to apply for pensions.
Evidently the cry of those opposed
to pensions that every man who wore
the Blue is now a pensioner of the
government is very far indeed from
the truth.
During the fiscal year 1912 the bu-
reau of soils of the department of ag-
riculture performed 1920 square miles
of detailed soil survey work in the
state of Kansas, bringing the total de-
tailed soil survey work done in the
Sunflower state to 2,303 square miles
and 1896 square miles of reconnois-
sance soil survey work. The work
during the past year was performed In
Cherokee. Greenwood, Jewell, Reno
and Shawnee counties.
The Kansas association of postmas-
ters will hold its annual convention
at Wichita on February 10 and II,
Inc general mas
sued an order granting postmasters of
the state leave of absence for as many
days. not exceeding five, as may be
necessary to enablesthem to attend the
convention.
A number of clerks employed in
the Topeka pension agency have been
to the general pension Of
flee at Washington They have been
given easy berths in recognition of
their long and faithful services rem
dered for many years past in the Kan
sas agency. Most of these clerks trans
ferred are men who have passed ths
age of So
The Kansas congressional contin-
gent are spending a very quiet time
during the official holiday recess in
But very few of the
Kansas congressman and their wives
have entertained here during the hoI-
iday season or at any other time dur
ing the year in the past.
Tact uAc pETIIpNEn