The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-21
GERRY SIMPSON"
The Bare-Legged Statesman's Cam
paign--The Kansas Upheaval.


New York Star.
"What did General Spinola mean the
other day when in the House of Represen-
tatives he twitted one of the Kansas Re-
publicans with the fact that bare-legged
man had beaten one of that party's nomi-
nees for congress in a very strong Republi-
can district of that state?"
| asked the question of Kansas State
Senator Prime, who is on visit to this
city, and brimfui of Western stories.
''Well," said he General Spinola told
the truth. Two years ago the Seventh dis
trict of Kansas sent a Republican to con-
gress with plurality of something like
5000. This time the same district elects
a bare-legged farmer, an Alliance man, and
by humping majority, too, over one of
the most popular Republicans in that sec
ton. Jerry Simpson is the name of the
granger, and when he reaches Washington
he win create q sensation. He is one of
the most taking stump speakers the state
has ever known, though il is certain that
he scarcely knows the difference between
q pronoun and averb. When he was NOM
mated for congress half of Kansas
just laughed outright, but Jerry
got to work on the stump and
soon made the fur 1y He
went around in a pair of blue jeans pants,
short on the legs and long above the waist
band. and his homemade WOODEN socks fell
down over his cowhide brogans, leaving a
good portion of his legs literally bare.
The Kansas Republicans laughed more
and louder, but Jerry did not mind them.
The papers were full of jokes on him, but
he kept right on making crossroad
speeches to the farmers, and when the re-
turns came in. 'Bare-legged Jerry was
found to be elected. His home paper says
he is going to Washington III the exact suit
of clothes-socks and all-in which he
made his campaign in Kansas.
zone of the Kansas papers says that
about a couple of weeks before election
Jerry remarked TO Il friend. say. Hank
would't it beat thunder if | should be
elected, after ALP 1t probably will, and /
hear that Jerry has already received sup
ply of socks FROM sympathizing friends
sufficient to start furnishing sore.
You Eastern people, continued the SEN
ator, scarcely realize what n political
upturning there was out III Kansas last
election, but when the new fellows who
have been chosen 10 congress get to the
national capital there will be some fun.
One of them is a Methodist preacher by the
name of Baker, who can talk louder and
longer than any man west of the Missis-
sippi river. He used to be school teacher
IN one of the back Kansas counties, and he
is one of the best shots in the state. He is
boxer of no mean ability, good all
round athlete and one of the red-hot advo-
Gates of advanced Granger doctrines
He never was heard of in politics before
last fall, but he viii be heard in congress-
for in voice and persistency he will surpass
any man on the door. Then there is John
Davis. There is something peculiar about
his election. He is an out-and-out social
list, and the only man of his opinions who
will have seat in the House. He is sort
of half editor OF turbulent, socialistic
labor organ at Junction City, and for the
last ten years has been doing scarcely any,
thing except running for congress and
getting defeated by enormous majorities.
This time John has landed on top, and be-
fore the Fifty-second congress is a week in
session John viii surely be heard from.
He cannot be kept down.
1.-THE two others who have broken into
congress from Kansas with Alliance help
are Ben Glover and John Otis. Like the
other grangers they are both endless talk
ers. Otis has belonged at times to every
political party in the country except the
Democracy. He is Vermont man, and,
although farmer, he is a graduate of
Harvard law school; but politically he is
an inveterate crank, and will raise more
trouble on the moor than any of his COL
leagues. Ben Clover is harmless sort of
a fellow who will be the quiet man of his
delegation. Taken altogether" concluded
Mr.. Prime, '.there Will be great fun over
that Kasas delegation in the next congress,
and the newspaper boys in Washington
viii have lots of good stories to tell about
tbarN -