The Iola register., 1891-01-30


thing is certain: He has not drop OF
Democratic blood in his veins. He Is
rank prohibitionist, believes in the
principles of protection and in an hon.
est and free ballot. The only question
upon which he will be widely at var
lance with the Republicans in the
Senate will be In the matter offinance.
Readers of this paper are familiar with
his absurd and fantastic scheme for
legislating money into everybody's
pocket. He will probably present a
bill embodying the scheme, but it will
be quitely smiled into a pigeon hole
and will never be heard of again, SO il
can do no harm. On the whole the
election of Judge Peffer is a much
wiser and better thing than anybody
expected from the crowd that brought
him forth. 1t was victory for the
conservative Republican element OF
the Alliance and was a knock down
blow to the old Union Labor crowd of
cranks and anarchists, represented by
Elder, the Vincents, Mrs. Lease and
others. OF course Judge Peffer can do
nothing and his election simply means
that Kansas will have but one Sena-
tor for the next six years. But he will
observe the proprieties and will not
bring discredit upon the State.
The facts are that aside from the
fact that it meant Ingalls, defeat, Pef-
fer's election seemed to give more gen.
eral satisfaction at Republican head
quarters than it did anywhere else. 1t
satisfied nobody at the Alliance head
quarters except a very few of the
Judges personal friends. Old man
Elder ragged like mad bull when the
result of the caucus was announced,
cursing and swearing and consigning
the whole heard of "blanked cattle" to
the bottomless pit. John Davis said
it was "set-back." Willis said the
caucus made mistake in not nomin-
ating a farmer. Jerry Simpson re-
marked with fine irony. 80 yes, his
record is all right. He has been Re
publican from Fremont to Harrison.
And then he is respectable and res
pectability is what Kansas is pining
for just now" And as for the Demo-
Gratis, they declared with many wick
ed words, that it was nothing else
than a Republican victory. Behold
then what can happen under Repub-
lican form of government: Here is
Ingalls, defeated, a man enthusiastic
cally supported by the majority party
in the State, and PETER elected, man
who is not even the choice of the great
er portion of minority party. We
suppose no sane man doubts that as
between the two men the voters of the
State would give ingalls, a majority OF
all the way from 10000 to 100000 votes
And yet the majority is supposed TO
rule!
We wish Judge Peffer well but we
are far from envying him his job. He
goes to the Senate as the successor of
the most brilliant and conspicuous
member of that body, and he can be
neither brilliant nor conspicuous.
Think of the damaging contrast that
will be drawn in every paper in the
United States! He goes there pledged
to do extraordinary and impossible
things, and he will be so situated
being neither Democrat nor Republi-
he can't do even ordinary
and possible things. Then every man
who voted his ticket last fall will re-
gard him as his individual hired man
and will write to him accordingly. De-
cidedly the new Senator is not to be
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Mr.. Pearson's letter came late and is
crowded out, as are adj
editorial observations. Both
will appear next week.
~
At the close of his speech before the
Judge Peffer, "in the
name of the people of Kansas"
thanked God for his election to the
Senate! Talk about gall!
x*x
A little over year ago we were
present at all orgy where Judge PETER
was voted leather medal as the
champion oyster eater. And now he
is United States Senator!
-
There must be some conserving
quality about business crookedness
and political chicanery that keeps the
man who practices them perennially
young. There is p. p Elder, - years
old, and hardly a gray hair in his
head, his eye not dimmed nor his
natural strength abated, and his face
as serene and placid as if no thought
of guile had ever entered his mind.
-
AS we stood on the floor of the
House Tuesday when the vote was
taken, there were two men, within
reach of our two arms, who were hap
py. One of them was Chief Justice
Horton, for whom the whirligig Of
time was bringing in its revenges.
The other was Heath, who owns u