The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1890-03-14
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER


WASHINGTON, d. c., March z, 1890.
1t would be more agreeable to the
citizens IN this locality, aud more con-.
ducive to fruit growing If you fellows
in Kansas would hang on to your
billiards and keep them at home. For
the past few days we have been hav-
ing regular Kansas weather and your
correspondent has felt proportionately
invigorated and at home. 1t is thought
that fruit has been killed, as peaches
plums and cherries were In bloom in
many localities. Still, IT may be like
the scare over the wheat, reported
from Kansas, the cry we have heard
for twenty-four years "The entire crop
destroyed.
Senator Plumb is making a heroic
effort to amend the dependant Pen.
sion BILL" in accordance with the
wish of the Grand Army pension Gem.
mittee, by eliminating the pauper fea.
ture which is 30 Objectionable to the
old soldiers. Let the measure stand
on present disability whether such dis.
ability can be after twenty-five years
traced to army service or not, it is an
outrage to compel an old soldier to
prove himself pauper. before he can
receive the benefits of the law, and we
sincerely hope Mr.. Plumb will succeed
in amending it. His recent success In
amending the Oklahoma bill so as to
include No-Man's-Lsnd, gives us
strong hopes.
1t is amusing from this distance, to
watch the attempts of leading demo.
cratic politicians in Kansas to secure
control of the farmers alliances. In
Douglas county we note such farmers
(f) as Ex-Governor Chas Robinson and
Ex-officeholder Sam'l Riggs, with the
Lawrence Gazette as leading lights in
that locality.
We hope the farmers will succeed in
finding and applying the remedy for
the present stagnation in their indus
try, whether it be through legislation
or their own management, but, we
hardly think the advice of the men
named will lead them out of the viii.
derness,
We note In q recent interview with
the Hon. Sammy, Kansas City pa
per quotes him as predicting q great
revolution in the State. We remem.
Der few years ago, when the astute
politician was a candidate himself, he
arrived at home the night before cleo
ton and advised all bis friends to put
up their bottom dollars on his election.
The friends were foolish enough to fol.
low his advice, and the result was he
got left by s 500 votes, and the friends
had to wear their summer undercloth-
ing through the cold. cold, winter. Oh
how they "cussed" Sammy.
People acquainted with these schem-
ers will not be misled by any state.
ments they may make upon the polit.
ical situation.
In recent issue of the Lawrence
journal we find the folio wing send
off for Mr.. Funston:
Mr.. Funston gained preferment by
a skilifull presentation of his claims
upon the soldier and upon the farmer
element of this district. Mr.. Funston
was made the choice of the Republican
party of this district because he was
supposed to be peculiarly a genuine
representative of these two important
elements of the party. Having got
his position, does he give evidence of
this genuiness, this devotion to the
old soldiers and to the farmers which
was expected of him? We do not pro-
pose to answer, but we do refer the in
terested to the actual state of things
now confronting us.
1t is well known fact throughout
the second district that the journal
man never did thing to assist Mr..
Funston to attain a position in the
Halls of Congress, but, on the contrary
has belittled him upon every occpsion
in season and out o. season, and why?
A knowledge of the circumstances will
readily suggest the answer. One thing
is very clear to those who ale familiar
with the journal mans record in and
out of the army that Mr.. Funston as
an ex-soldier, does not represent, in
any manner ex.soldier with such rec
ord as the Journal man has. Fully
five out of every six positions in the
District under the control of Mr.. Funs-
ton have been given to ex.soldiers,
and We know of none in the District
who would howl longer or louder if
the civilians were completely ignored.
The farmers of the Second District
do not look to the columns of the Jour.
nal for evidence of devotion to their
interests by Mr.. Funston and it is use.
less for that sheet to attempt to mislead
them or belle the record. In the same
article they continue:
The well known indifference, in fact
antagonism OF Mr.. Funston to the
farmers alliance movement, that
movement now upheld by the great
majority Of the farmers of the State.
and the consequent dislike of the al.
liances for Mr.. Funston; the growing
tendency of the State press, ever
watchful and appreciative, to make
light of Mr.. Funston's pretensions to
craftsmanship.
This is merely assertion by the
Journal. There is not q particle of
evidence obtainable to show that Mr..
Funston is ''aptogonistic to the farm.