The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-10-01
THE coSDUCToI, KNEW HIM.

For the Saline County Journal.l
"Ad as,rd per uspera" is the motto of my
And tho them words is LatIn,' they ut some
folks first rate,
For while the Peoples Party cranks may NIL
the air with wailing.
They often run upon snag, where they look
for easy sailing.
While the Weavers and the Folks are max
ing dazzling promises.
They often mret with Kansas folks who are
first rate doubling Thomases.
While they nod their big mass meetings, for
the farmers TO get posted.
Some Of these great reiormers set unmerci-
fully roasted.
saw one OF these reformers on the train the
He was going down to Wichita, upon the
santa Fe.
Dressed up in fine apparel. he rode In a Pull
And had a porter black his boots, while he
smoked a fine cigar.
or Plutocrats and money sharks he was a
bitter foe,
He'd buckied on his armor now, and he
The railroad kings and bondholders would
feel his iron heel,
By eighteen hundred ninety-two he'd grind
them into meal.
He'd put down the rebellion, but he loved
the .Johnnies' now.
And Ionged TO place a laurel wreath upon
each rebels brow.
This very self-same government, he'd fought
Was now ieagued with the plutocrais, TO
make Of him a slave.
He gave the best years Of his life, TO set the
But the poorest slave upon the block was
better of! than he.
He now had taken 10 th e fight In the Peoples
I'm the thekesi Of the fray would be. the
Honorable Unison shanks.'
The old war-horse got eloquent thought
he'll never cease.
He could oui-talk a quilting bee, and throw
In Diggs and Lease.
But pretty soon the Con- came In TO get the
And when he asked for ticket, please: he
met a stony stare
From the Honorable Jimson Shanks, who
reached inside his vest,
And pulled dozed passes out, from roads all
The T. +. and The santa Fe, the Central
Good for ali Kansas Stations for the bal
ance Of the fall.
While the Honorable Jimson sbanks was
sorting out his passes,
The gray haired old conductor was Watching
DER his glasses,
And when he saw the statesman's name, he
gave n sickly smile.
You're a mighty fine refOrmer, 10 be traSel-
ing In such style"
Il guess you have forgotten, Shanks, when
you and were boys,
And went 10 school together, way back In
Illinois.
some things you forget,
But 1 remember very well when you became
a'vet'
II was way back In "a, when things were
mighty blue,
And you skipped out for Canada, but didn't
nuIte Gel through.
You didn't have a pass then ON the through
Canadian route,
And didn't have dollar, to hire substitute.
And we boys who grabbed our muskets along
Didn't get chance TO see you, until the job
was done.
You showed your patriotism then by hiding
And now you'll bust the railroads. by rid
ing on pass.
You say you love the Johnnies, I really
guess it's so.
You loved 'em just about As well, some thirty
And while YOU shout calamity, from every
Your wife supports the family by washing
dirty socks.
You say the money sharks have robbed you
all your life.
submissive wife,
And while you're spouting politics. upon a
key of nails,
Your wife is earning money among her tubs
and pals"
Just then the engine whistled, the Con was
ont OF breath,
And every body In the car was tickled halfto
death.
Except the Honorable Jimson Shanks, he
couldn't come to tow"
The brakeman shouted Newton! change
cars for wichitap
I couldn't 90 TO Wichita, to hear the states
mans speech.
But of course he mauled the railroads, for
the Com was out of reach.
But don't think he'll soon forget his friend
from Illinois,
Who knew him in the sixties. when both of
them were boys.
-ADELISE, ILL.,, Sept. Is, 81. E. A. b.