The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-30
THE OLD TIME REPUBLIcANFARMER.

A great many old time Republicans, in
the state Of Kansas, having sounded the
spasmodic pretenses Of the subtreasury
scheme. and measured the breadth of
the boosted patriotism and the self-suffi-
cient wisdom Of leaders who had never
been eithe~ farmers or statesmen, are 60
ing to be found again in the ranks of the
Republican party. Nine out of ten of
the champions of reform who took the
lead until they got into snug paying po-
sitions, like PETER and Otis and Simpson
and McCUne and Polk and McGrath,
and thousand others, were nObodies,
and would have so remained but for
their impotence in straddling a wave
which they did not create but which
landed them, all unfit as they
were, into places of pay and power.
Times, that came of a reactionary boom,
pressed particularly sorely on the pro-
ducer. as it is pressing today more hardly
on the trades and the trader, and so
came the farmer movement. But as
distress came to the farmer from over
initiation in the first place, so relief will
come to him first, and his good sense is
too sound for him not to see that almost
every other interest of the country is
laundering and struggling now in the
tidal-ebb that caught him two or three
years since. And so when we have,
with all our varied interests, emerged to
stand again on our feet, large per
cent of the Republican farmers who
struck when they found them
selves uncomfortably crowded, will
be found standing in the old
ranks and beside the men
who had always believed and worked
with them.
In the meantime another national
campaign, looms up in which the De-
mocracy, who have urged the farmers of
the north TO desert their party, will have
10 show their hand. That old party of
pretences has now for two years howled
for tariff reform" without ever being
compelled to put it down under the head
of an enactment clause Just what they
meant by tariff reform" The Repub-
licans in the last congress, being in the
majority, were forced to put into
a law their ideas Of protec-
ton with every item criticized
by the Democracy, who being in the
minority offered only criticisms or inn
possible amendments, knowing that they
could not be held responsible. But they
and their allies the Alliance. are a
majority now in congress and they must
write down in a law what their convic-
lions. if they have any, of what consti-
tutes "talif reform"
And they must also meet the money |
question. Under the present law of |
compulsory purchase of silver the volume |
OF currency Is being increased very
rapidly, almost TO initiation. The Demo- /
Gratis must endorse or repeal, and in |
doing SO they must meet the question of 1
the free coinage of silver and carry their |
action into the campaign of 1892
EsHhe oldtime Republican farmer is dis
corning something of all this, and his old
convictions Of right and of sound princi-
pie have begun to stir his heart and |
mind, and thousands of the more level |
headed Will be found this fall and next. /
fighting the vagaries of the PETERS and /
Simpsons and fighting the political rot
tenness Of a party that never does any
thing when in power but pose and
promise, II we except its past numerous
efforts TO destroy the government