The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-19

| The antagonism was OF the bitterest
character. Political opponents reviied
| each other in print and sometimes pep
pered each other with pistols Bullets
few about night and day. 1t was dan
gerous in Sonora to sleep u q clap
boarded house in the average line Of
aim. The papers left nothing unsaid
which could taunt and irritate. Ed
itors went about the streets weighed
down by masked batteries. It was cal.
culated that 500 pounds Of iron were
daily packed about the streets in the
shape Of derringers, knives and revolv-
ers.
The champions of the opposing parties
never met on the highway but that peo-
pie peered and sQuinted from door and
window for the bombardment Of COM
merce. Knives were bathed in gore.
Barroom floors showed bloody stains.
Men died with their boots on. Loaded
shotguns lay in ambush behind front and
back doors. The atmosphere smelled of
blood and possible killing. Saloon plate
glass mirrors showed the track of pistol
blages of men from town and country,
secretly armed. People spent most of
their time hating each other. Ministers
went behind the orthodox returns and
preached sectional and partisan politics.
The more vital tenets of religion were
suspended for the time being with the
writ of habeas corpus. l canvassed the
county with my comic lecture. 1t took.
1t was popular with both parties. 1t
was q pleasant relief from the heavier
logic and argument used by heavier and
more solid speakers. It was like the
farce after the tragedy. 1t sent assem-
blies and mass meetings home in good
humor.
They didn't want any more laws
made. Everybody who had been sent
to the legislature since California was
created state had been busy putting
more laws on the statute books. There
was an overplus. People couldn't keep
count of the laws already made. Tue
lumne then showed wisdom in its en-
deavor to send one man to the legisla-
ture Of 1867 who, not being able to
draw up bill, could not have added a
single law to the mass already made. I
gave my party great deal of trouble.
Once in private conversation with
one deemed a friend, although he be-
longed to the opposition, l committed
myself in favor of greenbacks as legal
tender. Cur party did not approve of
greenbacks. Ours was the old fashioned
hard money dollar of Our dads party. l
was hardly aware of this, through la
mentabie ignorance Of what we really
did advocate. The county central CON-
mittee, hearing of my treason, sent after
me messenger with missive calling
on me to explain. l saw then the hor-
rible blunder l had made, and wished
the earth would open and swallow me.
Then | concluded to resign or to run
away. But man bolstered me up and
advised me to deny the report, which
did in an open mass meeting.
Feeling that had not done justice to
the party in making an active canvass of
the county, principally because l had no
money to make canvass with, by treat
ing long lines of ever ready patriots at
every bar in Tuolumne, l concluded i
would hold series of private mass meet
ings in the day time on horseback. /
would do this on election day. would
gallop from poll to poll, and make
speech at each poll. had a route laid
out embracing half the county. l made
the initial equestrian speech at James
town. Thence I galloped to Shaw's Flat.
Shaw's Flat upset me. The pillar Of our
party there, at whose saloon the polls
were held, came to his door while was
speaking, took one look at me and walked
off in disgust. saw the disgust On his
face an inch thick. 1t smote me. 1t
threw q wet blanket over all this newly
reused enthusiasm.
l started for Columbia, but all the
way that mans face peered into mine.
1t robbed me Of all courage and conf
dence. l had no further heart to con-
tinue the work. 1t was not at all the
regular thing. 1t was an innovation on
old party usages. The country even
then was too old for such politico-eques-
trian heroics. l rode back to James
town, put the horse in his stable, and
hid myself. The people did not agree
to send me TO Sacramento. Perhaps it
was fortunate for them they did not.
Probably it was for me- Whatever
happens to a man in this life is proba-
bly, the best thing for him, inasmucn as
nothing else can happen to him.
Could the past but be recalled, with
all its conditions, contingencies and ac-
cessories: could l once more renew this
episode with the advantage Of years of
experience and accumulated wisdom,
might succeed and fill the post Of legis-
lator But the future Is apt to come too
late To be sure it was for me period
of folly and weakness. Ny soul even
now squirms with shame TO think Of it.
"And it should" hear my fellow hu-
man judges saying. OF course it should.
Mans first duty TO himself is to hide his
follies and bear himself as though he
never committed any. Only can af
ford to tell what wretch have been
Were | a candidate for Office could not
Some day. when the world Is wiser, viii
men cease strutting about IN their masks
Of propriety and wisdom, and publish
their OWE past errors as freely as now
thev do those Of their fellows; Is it a
good preliminary previo7is TO entrance
into that world where ''an things shall
be revealed" where each action hes in
its true nature, and where each one Of
Us must "eYen 10 the teeth and forehead
of our faults give II evidence why
notT PEFN-T-v MILFORD.
The Correct Reply.