Page:Kansas A Cyclopedia of State History vol 1.djvu/82

 by the state central committee, which refused to remove Mr. Anthony, and the committee's decision was ratified by the people at the election in November, when Mr. Anthony was elected by a plurality of nearly 23,000 votes. Two years later, in the Republican state convention, he was defeated for a renomination on the seventeenth ballot. In 1881 he was made superintendent of the Mexican Central railway, a position he held for about two years. In 1884 he was elected to represent Leavenworth county in the state legislature; was a member of the state railroad commission from 1889 to 1893; was the Republican nominee for Congressman at large in 1892, but was defeated by William A. Harris; was a delegate to the Trans-Mississippi Congress at New Orleans in 1892; was appointed superintendent of insurance by Gov. Morrill in 1895, and held this office until his death, which occurred at Topeka on Aug. 5, 1896. As an orator Gov. Anthony was logical and forcible, rarely failing to impress his hearers by his intense earnestness. He was often criticized—such is always the case with men of positive natures—but no word was ever whispered against his honor or integrity. The Kansas Historical Society Collections (vol. VI., p. 204) says: “George T. Anthony's greatest usefulness to his adopted state was his work while editor of the Kansas Farmer and as president of the board of Centennial managers. The pioneer farmers of Kansas were negligent in the management of farm affairs. Corn was about the only crop produced, and at the end of the season the plow was left in the furrow and the mowing machine was left in the fence corner, while the live stock were left to shift for themselves. The Kansas Farmer taught diversified farming, economy in management, improvement in live stock, and higher regard for home and social life. The Centennial exhibit made a grand advertisement for Kansas.”

 Anthony's Administration.—The first biennial session of the Kansas state legislature convened on Jan. 9, 1877, and organized with Lieut. Gov. Melville J. Salter as president of the senate, and Peter P. Elder as speaker of the house. Gov. Anthony requested a joint session of the two branches of the assembly, that he might read his message in person. This was something of an innovation, and Representative Mohler, of Saline county, with thirteen others entered a protest against such a proceeding, giving as their reasons therefor, 1st—because it was not authorized by the constitution; 2nd—such a joint session was not really the legislature of Kansas; and 3d—it was a departure from established precedent. The protest was made a matter of record, but a majority of the members voted to hold the joint session in accordance with the governor's request, and on the 11th Gov. Anthony read his message to the two houses.

His message showed that the new executive was fully conversant with public matters, and was replete with valuable suggestions. “The reports of the state officers,” said he, “show the financial condition and credit of the state to be of the most flattering character. Seven per cent. currency bonds of the state are held at a premium of seven per