The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-24
SENATOR PETER.
Tn. Senator-Elect Given Reception at the
Beard OF Trade Last Evening.

The recently elected Onlteu states Sena-
tor from Kansas, Hon. w. A. PETER. ar
rived in the city yesterday afternoon at
$40 and was met at the depot by COM
mittee of gentlemen, who took him in a
carriage while some of the party took
others and short drive over the city was
made
In the evening the citizens gathered at
the Board of Trade room, where it was
announced that reception would be ten
dered the senator-elect. The imm ense
chamber of the board was packed full be-
fore the arrival of the senatorial party.
At sight of Mr. PETER the crowd set up
loud cheer, but it was Of short duration.
AS soon as the party entered the stand
Frank Williams introduced Mr.. Kies,
who spoke for about fifteen min
utes upon the topics most discussed by
the Peoples party. AT the close of
mis- remarks he introduced Mr.. PETER to
the immense audience which then went
off in prolonged cheer, which lasted for
more than minute. After quiet was re-
stored Senator PETER said: Mr.. Chair
man and fellow citizens:
About on and half years ago / had the
pleasure of addressing an audience In this
room Under different circumstances and
different conditions.
A meeting was called which purported
to be meeting of farmers. l was one to
address it. 1t so happened that the meet
ing was attended by every other class than
farmers. l said some things on the sub
ject as to what the farmers needed. If
there were more than ten men in the
audience who believed what l said did
not know it.
The little cloud that was then no larger
than mans hand has grown into a
thunder storm and has rolled over Kansas.
Eighteen months have passed and five
congressman of nondescript order have
been elected. Ninety-rhree members of
the legislature and one state officer, and
now you are listening to man who has
been employed to represent the people in
an Office only second to that of the presi-
dent
Why are so many present tonight. If
any one expected to hear a word of criti-
cism of any old party he was mistaken. l
have come to talk to you in response to a
pressing invitation. 1t goes out without
reference to party With Old issues old
shells are to be discarded like old garments.
Parties, like individuals, make mistakes.
1t is time TO correct them.
We complain in Kansas of debt. In
New England farms have been thrown
out and grown up to grass. New York
farms have deprecated 90 per cent. New
Jersey sheriffs have sold 200 farms away
from the owners.
Tol- nj Iowa a.
bamas. The mortgages in those states
on real estate amount to $4,000, OOOE3, 2552
mortgages on 2.752 farms.
l mean to show some reason for this COM
motion among the people. / notice good
many old faces here SCARED and
chaffed with the harness of life. You re-
member with me when we made every
thing. In every community there was a
blacksmith, a stonemason, shoemaker, a
plasterer and wagonmaker. In winter
farmers hauled farm products which went
to pay for the little items used on the farm
that were not made there. Who can re-
member a farm then that was mortgaged
for borrowed money. Deferred payments
on farms were secured by mortgages but
mortgages for borrowed money were I'M
known Looking back then-we had lots
of money and little use for it. Now we
need lots of money and have none.
You see when we get into trouble we
ask little time to pay our debt. We are
met by such as this:
Anything but cut rates on interest.
Money has a better profit on it
than any other business Immedi-
ately after the war we had in paper
money one hundred and eighty millions
and S2S1, 000, 900 of national bank notes and
36, 600 600 of people. We now have $500
100000 and G., 600, 600 of people.
Are merchants making any more than
farmers? We hear of banks failing. You
find loan companies whose agents refuse
to make loans on real estate at the present
time.
We are all in the same boat. The
Alliance does not mean war upon mer-
chants, bankers or loan agents; it is wal
against existing circumstances. We are
going ahead if we can't convert parties
We will destroy them. We are destroy
ing now When it became clear TO us we
could not obtain what we wanted in our
own parties, then we went together and
asked ourselves what shall we do. The
answer came, let us form a nucleus
around which the people may gather.
What farmers want is honest bankers and
lawyers. A few foolish men will under
take to start a store when they have
no business to do so. a
man without experience is no
to be merchant than he has to be a king.
Mr. PETER then discussed the monetary
question from the paper money stand
point, and declared if the Alliance could
not borrow money at a reasonable rate OF
interest, when they got control of the gov
eminent they could make it, and make all
they want. He declared himself to be a
loyal Kansan, having served three years
to help subdue the rebellion. He
wanted to help his people to secure and
own house. He said il he could have
his way about it he would throw open the
Cherokee strip at once. He said when he
went TO Washington he wanted TO ropre-
sent the interests of his entire consti.
tuency, and when anyone wanted any
thing they must write TO their new sen
ator. and he would do all he could for
them in everything except 10 gain office
When he had finished speaking Mr.
PETER took up a stand near the door, just
where Mr.. Simpson stood when he was in
the room. and shook the hand OF all who
passed out. Fully 500 people were present
and greeted the senator-eiect-
Assistant City Clerk c. ;. Smith, is con-
erad 70 his bor,a with sickness