The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1875-10-28
Some Specimen .sPeopIe..

This great Peoples" party originally started
out with the leading idea of opposition to mo-
nopolies-especiaily Railroad monopolies. The
people are groaning under load of taxes, the
combined result Of Railroad bonds and of the in
competency Of Peoples" County officers. Let
us take a look into this railroad monopoly busi-
ness and see how nearly some of the prominent
leaders of the ''PeopIes" honest reform party are
connected with it.
When the scheme Of voting bonds was being
worked up, the leading man in the business was
G. W. Click, of Atcbison, now one of the leading
anti-monopoly reformers in the State. propo-
stion was submitted to vote $4,000 to the st.
Joseph & Denver City Railroad, and 500, 900 to
to the Atchison & Nebraska Railroad. The only
man in the County whom Click could get to go
around with him to speak for the proposition,
was one a. Larzelere, the head and front of the
Peoples party in this County, and candidate for
Commissioner-the man who wants low taxes.
We well remember his speeches. He said that
if the pesple refused to vote the bonds, they
were blind TO their own interests, and behind
the civilization of the age, and he did not want
to live among such people He would feel like
selling out, and moving where lire people lived
Well, the bonds were voted, and now Larzelere
is sIuealing for low taxes.
Another chapter follows The bonds were vo-
ted, and the railroad lines were located. As ma
ny farmers as possible were bluffed or humbug-
ged into giving the right of way through their
farms. But some dema nded pay. The railroad
ran diagonally through their farms, cutting them
in two, and taking ont the hest part of their cul-
tivated fields. Thercforcy <.as necessary to
appoint three COmmissi0 nefs to appraise and
condemn the land, who were sworn to put true
valuation upon the damage done. These COM
missioners were simply three tools selected by
the Railroad Company, to confscate the lands of
the farmers, mock Justice by allowing them
few cents damages. Who were these Commits
sIonersl One was B. O'Driscoll, ranting Re-
former, who was admitted into the Peoples Con-
vcntion, the other day, without having been
elected, and was allowed to east fifteen votes, for
men who refused to attend Another was Amos
W. Waters, of Wolf River Township, another
Jealous reformer, who was also a delegate in the
Convention. Another was q man who figured
conspicuousiy on the outside Of the Convention,
but we fOrbear giving his name, as lie is proba-
bly, sick enough over the proceedings of the Con-
ventiOn. These men, under oath, proceeded to
appraise the damage done to farms, by cutting
them up and taking ont the most valuable por-
tion of them. They awarded such munifcent
sums as s., S1O and SIS, as the true amount of
this damage. Some farmers accepted it, rather
than go to law TO secure their rights; while 9th
ers appealed to the Courts. They all remember
it. Now these anti-monopolists, these reformers,
these honest fellows who weep over the burdens
fI,a call Themselves
the People" and dictate ticket for the people
to elect in order to defeat the Republican thieves
and plunderers, Yes, farmers, these tools of
railroad corporations, who under the farce of le-
gality, tried to swindle you out of your land, are
now preaching honesty to you and telling you
how to vote. You must vote just as Larzelere,
O'Driseoll and Waters tell yOu, because they are
engaged in the cause of honesty and reform!