The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-06
Editor Howe, the New Senator
From Abilene.
He Bought Paper, Building,
Home and a Cow.
DEAL MADE In "a HOURS
Made Good in Abilene From
the Start.
w. p. FEEDER Sells Barton Co.
Democrat to McMulIen.

Ten years ago a young man of only
twelve months over voting age landed
In Abilene, Kan, in search for a good
up to date country newspaper He
walked into the little paper Uttered
office of the Dickinson County News
then owned by Strother & Son, and
made known his wants.
Sure. I'll SELL" was old man Stroth-
er's first answer to the young mans
question.
The bargain was com pleted.
And say, young man, as long as
intend leaving this town, would like
to sell this building" Strother suggest
ed after the deal for the paper was
closed.
The 22-year-old editorial aspirant
bought the building.
Pardon me- limited Strother again,
eff you haven't any special place to
live I wish you would come out and
look over my house"
The youthful Journalist bought the
house.
My wife and I are going to move
to California" remarked Strother af-
ter counting over his cash for tho
house, I'VE don't want to take all this
furniture with US. Do you suppose
you could use it %
The furniture changed hands.
by, George, 1 forgot something,
Strother added, Come out here in the
barn and look over that Jersey cow
The cow acquired new master then
and there.
The young man who made this in
vasion into the quiet county seat of
Dickinson county is no other than J.
w. Howe, recently elected to a chair
in the Kansas senate. Joe" as he is
known in his part of the state, knew
what he wanted when his father en-
barked him from the family threshold
near Gypsum City with a wad of green
backs, and in "a hours after he step
ped off the Union Pacific train in Abb
1ene he was a full fledged citizen and
a x-r.a 7fr1cr -=Tal 1ear- a
newspaper building, a house, furni
ture and a COW.
And that isn't all-Joe Howe-ex-
cuse the expression, Senator Howe, if
you please came to Abilene a Demo-
crat-a stranger in the groups that
stood around the court house square.
He leaves Abilene this month-still a
Democrat but with the satisfaction of
winning the senatorial election against /
a normal Republican majority of 700. |
Good Looking and a Bachelor.
Howe is of the Kansas brand, vintage |
of 1881. He was born out near Gypsum /
City in Saline county. After obtaining
a degree of Bachelor of arts in Salina
Normal he taught school two years and
then made his till-talked-of-visit to
Abilene.
Probably it was because of the de-
gree he took in the normal school, or I
possibly it was because he was news +
paper man and feared the cry of the
still is a bachelor. Thirty-two years
old, good looking, clean cut and Kan
sas bred-he undoubtedly will attract
the attention of the galleries in the
senate this winter.
However. Howe isn't hunting for gall
lery plaudits. He has joined other
good Democrats in Kansas in the cam
paign not for but AGAINST laws in
this state Howe is positive that the
statute books are several inches too
thick and he has sharpened his jack
knife with the intention of whiting
them down. Being of typographical
nature he knows that the best way to
reduce the size of book is to slice
the copy ITO the waste basket
with wild cat laws is Howe's cry.
Senator Howe is a great friend of
Hodges. He managed
his campaign for nomination He was
a member of the state central commit
tee for four years. He was the author
of hundreds of letters sent out to the
Democratic papers during the cam
pushing the cause of the
party in this state He has done a |
large part of the press work for
Hodges, has handled all of his an
and has been a personal
friend of the next governor for many
years
been loafing. For four years he was
chairman and two years secretary of
the Democratic committee. For six
years he was secretary of the Demo-
cratic Editorial association. He has
done nearly all of the little red school
house speaking for the Democrats in
their campaigns.
Interested in the Boys.
Not only has the Abilene editor spent
his time converting the voters in his
district but he has been building up
little voting population of his own for
future needs
About nine years ago Joe Howe
decided that the town pool halls were
not good citizenship breeders in Abb