The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-01
ST. JOHN, THE RENEGADE.
A Kansas Woman Arraigns the Man
Who Helped Democracy to Success.
Snatched from Obscurity by a Leaders
Spleen-Repudated by His State-Social
OStracism and Political Death.

Ostracism and Political Death.
Atchison Letter in Pittsburg Commercial Gazette.
St John! Not the Evangelist, nor yet the
Baptist but st. John the traitor to the Repub-
lican party, to the State which honored him., to
the temperance people who revered him.
The first that we of northern Kansas ever
heard of st. Johr was after the election of
United States senator twelve years ago. He was
reported as "a man calling himself John p. st.
John, from johnson county, who spends his
time sitting on storebox in front of the left
House execrating the treachery of Pomeroy, and
eulogizing York, saying The time is past for
men to be bought and sold in Kansas"
1t is pity his mind should have so changed
by the fall of 1884. He is one of those phenom-
email characters who obtain sudden eminence be-
cause of former obscurity. Nothing is known
against him, and, being the available compro-
mise candidate, he is suddenly elevated into
place. His election for Governor the first term
was surprise. The person who is now our
Governor was premature in his ambition.
Gee. T. Anthony was brave, intelligent
Governor, whom the people desired should have
a second term. When the Republican conven-
ton met at Topeka it was found that John A.
Martin had good following worked up by the
newspapers. Martin had been great benefit to
the city of Atchson in particular and to the
State of Kansas in general in ably editing the
Atchison Champion for over twenty-five years.
He had also been gallant soldier during the
late war, and with this record to back him ne
could we'll have afforded to bide his time. Being
popular editor he had only to let it be known
that he was a candidate, when every editor in
the State shouted for him. and worked up re-
spectacle following, yet not enough to nominate
Thus there were three candidates: Anthony,
with los votes; Martin, with about 90; st. John,
with handful-about 80. BY combining any
two factions one Of the three could be nominal
ed.
Anthony, angry at Martin for his untime)y
candidacy, threw his votes to st. John and thus
he was foisted upon the State. Up to this time
he had been third rate lawyer, in fact as com
plete failure at the bar as he has proved fail
ure as a man. Neither before nor since had he
had single case in the Supreme Court of the
State
When first elected he was not in favor of pro-
hibition, but, being keen -witted, he saw that
temperance was growing sentlmentln this State
He mounted it as hobby, expecting to ride into
the senatorship., He came nearer accomplish
ing his purpose than is now pleasant to contem-
plate. When the convention which nominated
him for the third term convened it must have
been plain to him that there was disaffection in
the Republican ranks; with one part because of
his overzeal in the cause of temperance, but
with the larger part from their opposition to
third terms in executive positions. The
third term nomination was accomplished
by railroad interests Railroads owned St John
and put him and prohibition forward in order to
divert from the real issue then before Kansas
people, namely, arailroad law to regulate freight
and passenger rates The great corporation
known as the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe cap
tured, by influence and money, the large dele
cations from Shawnee and Leavenworth coun-
ties When the delegates first arrived in Topeka
fifty counties were opposed to st. John. but the
rural representatives, seeing the large cities
solid for him, gave in their allegiance After
the nomination another question arose, whether
United States Senator Plumb's place would be
safest with st. John elected Governor or beaten
Plumbs friends at last decided to help beat him.
AS soon as the people decided he was the tool of
the railroads, the revolt was general. BY the
middle of October ST. John became alarmed
and entreated Mr.. ingalls, to enter the
arena for him. Mr.. ingalls, came back from
Colorado and began at Newton Of course his
was an appeal to Republicans to support St
John for the sake of the party. When he would
the air. but not cheer for St John. He spoke
at all large towns. Men would say, eve will
beat St John, but the rest of the ticket is safe"
So it proved; for while the Secretary Of State
got 4U,UVU n6puDllcdu majority, tue SuUerudlOr-
ial chair went to Democrat Had he. when
nominated stepped to the front, thanked the
convention for its confidence and compliment
but declined the nomination. he would have ex-
cited an enthusiasm which would likely have
carried him into the United States Senate.
The temperance people of this State did not
approve of the nomination of a Prohibition can
didate al Pittsburg Had they succeeded in
their plans the convention would have adjourned
without making nomination. Judge w. D.
yNn61 80 kha Dsc%c of
the State, wrote one of the candidates on the Re-
publican ticket, stating to him that the Prohi-
bitionists of Kansas were opposed to the nomina-
ton of a ticket at Pittsburg, and if thought de-
sirable they would elect delegation from this
State that would oppose any nomination-do all
they could to adjourn the convention before
nominations were made, and in case that could
not be done would withdraw from the conven-
ton before nominations were made. He re-
ceived reply, thanking him for his suggestions,
stating that his letter has been referred to the
national committee
The committee considered the suggestion, at
first regarding it favorablv, but in the end con-
cluded that lobby of Office holders from Wash
nomination than the great Prohibition State
from which the candidate was to come
The gentlemen who would have represented
this State in that convention would all have been
able men, many of them the personal friends of
st. John, but they would have shown to the
country the same sterling qualities, the same
devotion to principle as was shown by Kansas
men when the general government sought to
subject its soil to the pollution of slavery. They
would have been men who knew that any Prohi-
bition ticket would draw mainly from the
Republican ranks, for a Prohibition Dem
ocrat is for Democracy iirst, and pro-
hibition only when he can find no
Democrats for whom to vote If Judge Webbs
suggestion had been followed, no nomination
would likely have been made at Pittsburg at
least the moral effect would have been de-
stroyed by the withdrawal of the Prohibition
State. st. Johns temperance career would
have been ventilated His first message as Gov
ernor to the Legislature of Kansas, in which he
opposed prohibition and recommended the
granting of license to sell intoxicating liquors,
would have been presented. The strange story
of his conversion to prohibition would have been
told by his friends, yet men would not permit
their personal favoritism to interfere with
public duty. Had this been DONE Blaine would
likely have been elected, certainly would have
hAan with a fair count in New York