Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-10
CONCERNING REBELLION.
From the Kansas Chief

ing the past few months, that Dig re-
bellion is brewing in the Republican
party of Kansas, which will result in a
wholesome defeat of the party. This
has caused much merriment among
other papers, which have all manner of
sarcastic things to say about the pros
poets of disaster. That $4,000 majority
is regarded as an ark of safety. No use
to threaten a man with storms who is
ensconced in cyclone cave. The de-
struction of Sennacherib. when "The
Assyrian came down like wolf on the
fold" occurred too long ago to afford a
fearful example at the present day, of a
supposed invincible host being overcome
in single night. Even the overthrow
of ST. John is ancient history, mixed
with much unreliable tradition. 1t is
related that the adherents of ST. John
had things their own way IN the
state. They paid no heed to
the mutterings of dissatisfaction and
discomfort, and the warnings against
crowding people too hard. They pushed
him forward, in violation of all prece-
dent. The result was Democratic gov
ernor for two years, and the utter de-
struction of st. Johns usefulness. He
degenerated from a saint to chigger.
If Republican bourboDs, unlike Demo-
cratic bourbons, could learn from expe-
rience, it would be the part of wisdom to
give heed to these mutterings now, and
take means to remove the cause Of COM
plant, instead of presuming upon $4,000
majority, and coolly asking, "What are
you going to do about it:''
That there is widespread restleSsness
and discomfort, is too evident to need
pointing out There are various causes
for it. some of them good ones. Presi-
dent Harrison has not given satisfaction
thus far. He has wrapped himself up in
a mantle of superior wisdom and good
ness, and in the view of men who have
borne the heat and brunt of the fight.
has bestowed Office upon the undeserv-
ing, while in other cases, under the civil
service plea, he has left the most obnox-
ious Democrats in Office to the exclusion
of any Republican. Those who have
the control of appointments could not
have done more than they have to create
discomfort by their dallying and uncan-
did course. When only one man can be
appointed to an office, a number must be
disappointed; but this can be done in
manner not to leave bitterness. 1t is not
necessary to hold out hope to each one
only to disappoint it, when knowing all
the while that such must be the out
come 1t is much better to tell men the
straight truth at once-if there is no
hope for them, honestly tell them SO,
and tell them why as far as practicable
1t would not leave dozen men for each
office deceived and angry and thirsting
for revenge.
The state administration has done
nothing to help matters. 1t has carried
the principle of giving the offices to men
who ''belong to our crowd" to extremes.
Not only have all the vacancies been fill
ed with personal partisans of the COVER
nor, which is proper enough, as it is the
general rule, but vacancies have been
made for that purpose. Men who en-
Enthusiastically supported the governors
election, but who did not happen to be
in favor of HIM as first choice for nomi-
nation have been ousted to make room
for original friends of his. The charita
bic institutions of the state have been
raided, and the men who have worked
them up to a high state of efficiency have
been turned out to make places for his
adherents. He has gone still further and
made up states for federal appointments,
with which he has nothing to do, in order
to have all the federal as well as state
offices in the hands of men loyal to him,
or who belong to our crowd"
The last legislature did the Republican
party more damage than anything else
in years. Chosen in a presidential year,
il was practically unanimously RepubH-
can. With the members who wanted to
make all there was in sight, and the
members who did not know enough to
avoid being led by the nose by the
farmer, fraud had picnic. Thousands
upon thousands of dollars We're squan-
dered upon schemes to make new places
for hangers on, such as the so-called
"Nemorial Hall" ostensibly for soldiers,
the commissioner to the French exposi-
ton, and many other snIde affairs, while
necessary appropriations We're withheld.
The insane asylums, the most important
need of the state, are left short of funds;
the Agricultural college is crippled;
there is no money to pay regents and
boards of education and charitable insti-
tutions; no appropriation to pay sheritfs
for conveying prisoners to the peniten-
tiary; and many other state institutions
left insufficiently provided for. Mem
bers of the legislature were attorneys
of swindes designed to defraud the
people of the state. Swindling in
surance companies, that have been
robbing the people, secured, through
these attorneys, the passage of laws
placing the people at their mercy.
Several of the worst bills failed to be-
come laws, through accidents, but not to
the credit of the legislature. Another
bill was passed, saddling an additional
officer upon the state, for the benefit of
the Standard Oil company.
Last fall, the almost exclusive issue
was that of protection. The people had
it dinned into them all through the cam
paign, and when they gave that 81, 900
majority in October, they did SO with
the thought and intention of endorsing
the principle of protection? But at this
very time a scheme is on foot, led by
the official paper of the state, to foist
upon the state university as its chan
cellor, the great apostle of free trade in
Kansas. The university belongs to the
state and is supported by taxes levied
upon the people. The excuse is made
that politics has nothing to do with the
university, and that mans private
opinions should not be taken into &C
count Prof. Garfield no doubt is an
able man; but do the people of Kansas
want man at the head of their univer-
sity. and to be taxed for his support, who
proclaims that the people of the state,
by $4,000 majority, are in favor of rob
berry? Prof. Garfield may not preach
free trade to the students, but he is
known the country over, and given
prominence and influence on account of
it, as an advocate OF free trade, in the