Arkansas City Traveler
Arkansas City, Kansas
Friday, December 26, 2003
page 1
Warren remembered for taking care of the people's interests
By Foss Farrar
Traveler Staff Writer
Former State Sen. Joe Warren, who died Tuesday and will be buried in Memorial Lawn Cemetery on Saturday, was the first Democrat from Cowley County ever elected to the State Senate.
He also hold's the record for time served in the state senate, 32 years. He had the longest run, his son, Jim Warren of Arkansas City, said today, adding that until several years ago when he became ill, his father kept up on the State Legislature.
"He'd study those bills and knew exactly what was in them," he said, "I asked him one time, Dad, why in the world you want to go up there and be in that Senate? No matter what you do, half the people will be mad at you. And he said, Son, you're here to look after the ranch. Someone needs to be up there to look after the people's interests."
Joe Warren, who carned a seat in the state senate in 1957, was not beholden to any lobbyist, his son said. He became a student of government who got to the root of each bill, paying particularly close attention to where money was going when spending was involved.
"He wasn't set in cement but he studied stuff before he made up his mind." Jim Warren said, "But to change his mind you had to have a good reason."
State Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, said today that she treasured Joe Warren's friendship. She was first elected to the State Legislature in 1993, after Warren had retired.
"After I decided to go to the legislature in the House, Joe was the first person to congratulate me," Goodwin said today. Later he would see me working in the yard and would stop by to give his political views. He always had good, sound advice on public policy."
Joe Warren was raised on a farm south of Silverdale. When his father died, the 12,000-acre-ranch was divided five ways. "We were basically cowboys," Warren said.
A 1991 Traveler story by Stu Osterthun, details Warren's start in politics.
Warren had yearned to be a political leader in Arkansas City, so he became acquainted with Frank Theis (who later became a federal judge in Wichita), the story states. Theis introduced him to the right people and before he knew it, he was heading a group in charge of searching for a gubernatorial candidate.
"We formed a group of honest people from all over the state of Kansas," Warren was quoted as saying, "it was a group within the Democratic Party. We advertised for candidates and picked from 15 to 20 guys."
There was a slight problem, however. The man Warren's group was running against was George Docking, a powerful politician-banker from Arkansas City.
"From the first time I met him I knew we were outclassed," Joe Warren said.
Docking eventually became governor and Warren earned a seat in the Senate (in 1957).
"I'd only been in the Capital two times before I got sworn in," Warren said, "I didn't know anything about Kansas statutes. It'd take me till two or three o'clock in the morning to get through those bills. But after a while guys would come over to see me about what was in the bills."
Warren served under five governors, Robert Docking, George's son, was his favorite.
(transcribed by Judy Mayfield)
Arkansas City, Kansas
Friday, December 26, 2003
page 1
Warren remembered for taking care of the people's interests
By Foss Farrar
Traveler Staff Writer
Former State Sen. Joe Warren, who died Tuesday and will be buried in Memorial Lawn Cemetery on Saturday, was the first Democrat from Cowley County ever elected to the State Senate.
He also hold's the record for time served in the state senate, 32 years. He had the longest run, his son, Jim Warren of Arkansas City, said today, adding that until several years ago when he became ill, his father kept up on the State Legislature.
"He'd study those bills and knew exactly what was in them," he said, "I asked him one time, Dad, why in the world you want to go up there and be in that Senate? No matter what you do, half the people will be mad at you. And he said, Son, you're here to look after the ranch. Someone needs to be up there to look after the people's interests."
Joe Warren, who carned a seat in the state senate in 1957, was not beholden to any lobbyist, his son said. He became a student of government who got to the root of each bill, paying particularly close attention to where money was going when spending was involved.
"He wasn't set in cement but he studied stuff before he made up his mind." Jim Warren said, "But to change his mind you had to have a good reason."
State Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, said today that she treasured Joe Warren's friendship. She was first elected to the State Legislature in 1993, after Warren had retired.
"After I decided to go to the legislature in the House, Joe was the first person to congratulate me," Goodwin said today. Later he would see me working in the yard and would stop by to give his political views. He always had good, sound advice on public policy."
Joe Warren was raised on a farm south of Silverdale. When his father died, the 12,000-acre-ranch was divided five ways. "We were basically cowboys," Warren said.
A 1991 Traveler story by Stu Osterthun, details Warren's start in politics.
Warren had yearned to be a political leader in Arkansas City, so he became acquainted with Frank Theis (who later became a federal judge in Wichita), the story states. Theis introduced him to the right people and before he knew it, he was heading a group in charge of searching for a gubernatorial candidate.
"We formed a group of honest people from all over the state of Kansas," Warren was quoted as saying, "it was a group within the Democratic Party. We advertised for candidates and picked from 15 to 20 guys."
There was a slight problem, however. The man Warren's group was running against was George Docking, a powerful politician-banker from Arkansas City.
"From the first time I met him I knew we were outclassed," Joe Warren said.
Docking eventually became governor and Warren earned a seat in the Senate (in 1957).
"I'd only been in the Capital two times before I got sworn in," Warren said, "I didn't know anything about Kansas statutes. It'd take me till two or three o'clock in the morning to get through those bills. But after a while guys would come over to see me about what was in the bills."
Warren served under five governors, Robert Docking, George's son, was his favorite.
(transcribed by Judy Mayfield)
Arkansas City Traveler
Arkansas City, Kansas
Friday, December 26, 2003
page 1
Warren remembered for taking care of the people's interests
By Foss Farrar
Traveler Staff Writer
Former State Sen. Joe Warren, who died Tuesday and will be buried in Memorial Lawn Cemetery on Saturday, was the first Democrat from Cowley County ever elected to the State Senate.
He also hold's the record for time served in the state senate, 32 years. He had the longest run, his son, Jim Warren of Arkansas City, said today, adding that until several years ago when he became ill, his father kept up on the State Legislature.
"He'd study those bills and knew exactly what was in them," he said, "I asked him one time, Dad, why in the world you want to go up there and be in that Senate? No matter what you do, half the people will be mad at you. And he said, Son, you're here to look after the ranch. Someone needs to be up there to look after the people's interests."
Joe Warren, who carned a seat in the state senate in 1957, was not beholden to any lobbyist, his son said. He became a student of government who got to the root of each bill, paying particularly close attention to where money was going when spending was involved.
"He wasn't set in cement but he studied stuff before he made up his mind." Jim Warren said, "But to change his mind you had to have a good reason."
State Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, said today that she treasured Joe Warren's friendship. She was first elected to the State Legislature in 1993, after Warren had retired.
"After I decided to go to the legislature in the House, Joe was the first person to congratulate me," Goodwin said today. Later he would see me working in the yard and would stop by to give his political views. He always had good, sound advice on public policy."
Joe Warren was raised on a farm south of Silverdale. When his father died, the 12,000-acre-ranch was divided five ways. "We were basically cowboys," Warren said.
A 1991 Traveler story by Stu Osterthun, details Warren's start in politics.
Warren had yearned to be a political leader in Arkansas City, so he became acquainted with Frank Theis (who later became a federal judge in Wichita), the story states. Theis introduced him to the right people and before he knew it, he was heading a group in charge of searching for a gubernatorial candidate.
"We formed a group of honest people from all over the state of Kansas," Warren was quoted as saying, "it was a group within the Democratic Party. We advertised for candidates and picked from 15 to 20 guys."
There was a slight problem, however. The man Warren's group was running against was George Docking, a powerful politician-banker from Arkansas City.
"From the first time I met him I knew we were outclassed," Joe Warren said.
Docking eventually became governor and Warren earned a seat in the Senate (in 1957).
"I'd only been in the Capital two times before I got sworn in," Warren said, "I didn't know anything about Kansas statutes. It'd take me till two or three o'clock in the morning to get through those bills. But after a while guys would come over to see me about what was in the bills."
Warren served under five governors, Robert Docking, George's son, was his favorite.
(transcribed by Judy Mayfield)
Arkansas City, Kansas
Friday, December 26, 2003
page 1
Warren remembered for taking care of the people's interests
By Foss Farrar
Traveler Staff Writer
Former State Sen. Joe Warren, who died Tuesday and will be buried in Memorial Lawn Cemetery on Saturday, was the first Democrat from Cowley County ever elected to the State Senate.
He also hold's the record for time served in the state senate, 32 years. He had the longest run, his son, Jim Warren of Arkansas City, said today, adding that until several years ago when he became ill, his father kept up on the State Legislature.
"He'd study those bills and knew exactly what was in them," he said, "I asked him one time, Dad, why in the world you want to go up there and be in that Senate? No matter what you do, half the people will be mad at you. And he said, Son, you're here to look after the ranch. Someone needs to be up there to look after the people's interests."
Joe Warren, who carned a seat in the state senate in 1957, was not beholden to any lobbyist, his son said. He became a student of government who got to the root of each bill, paying particularly close attention to where money was going when spending was involved.
"He wasn't set in cement but he studied stuff before he made up his mind." Jim Warren said, "But to change his mind you had to have a good reason."
State Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield, said today that she treasured Joe Warren's friendship. She was first elected to the State Legislature in 1993, after Warren had retired.
"After I decided to go to the legislature in the House, Joe was the first person to congratulate me," Goodwin said today. Later he would see me working in the yard and would stop by to give his political views. He always had good, sound advice on public policy."
Joe Warren was raised on a farm south of Silverdale. When his father died, the 12,000-acre-ranch was divided five ways. "We were basically cowboys," Warren said.
A 1991 Traveler story by Stu Osterthun, details Warren's start in politics.
Warren had yearned to be a political leader in Arkansas City, so he became acquainted with Frank Theis (who later became a federal judge in Wichita), the story states. Theis introduced him to the right people and before he knew it, he was heading a group in charge of searching for a gubernatorial candidate.
"We formed a group of honest people from all over the state of Kansas," Warren was quoted as saying, "it was a group within the Democratic Party. We advertised for candidates and picked from 15 to 20 guys."
There was a slight problem, however. The man Warren's group was running against was George Docking, a powerful politician-banker from Arkansas City.
"From the first time I met him I knew we were outclassed," Joe Warren said.
Docking eventually became governor and Warren earned a seat in the Senate (in 1957).
"I'd only been in the Capital two times before I got sworn in," Warren said, "I didn't know anything about Kansas statutes. It'd take me till two or three o'clock in the morning to get through those bills. But after a while guys would come over to see me about what was in the bills."
Warren served under five governors, Robert Docking, George's son, was his favorite.
(transcribed by Judy Mayfield)
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