Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-14


Davis and Jerry Simpson and their farmer
allies and their revolutionary theories. Kansas
will certainly be our salvation yet, or else the
other thing
called on Judge PETER yesterday. He is not
handsome. A little over six feet tall; somewhat
lank and ungraceful; . Keen. kindly gray eve
two of them. in fact: sloping forehead: light
brown thatch Of hair and dark brown beard
that hangs down about TO the bottom of his
vest, concealing the place where his nocktie
ought to be. aud looking as if il belonged 10
some other man; plain gray business suit,
bearing iauntily upon the lapel pair OF gold
eve glasses-the only visible sign Of opulence-
this is PETER.
He il cordial in his manner but not at first
No, not at first.
is this Senator Peffer?'' | inquired sitter |
had been summoned up to his room and was
rapidly making the above inventory as he rose
to receive me.
1T is. he said in a cold. cold voice Ike a
Kansas blizzard blowing down the waste pipe
on the northeast corner OF the Office of the
n 6t'sds fdr1aeg. and as he frowned down
darkly on me and spitefully clasped the chair
in front of him with both hands he added in
bleak tones: What is it,
II would like to talk to you abolt the situa-
con, answered, trying TO smile.
commercially or otherwise, he asked with
q severe infection.
commercially replied as calmly as /
could. Il am paid for my letters"
No; mean commercial between you and
me" he explained.
Il suppose So answered. vaguely and dn-
biously. ''How much 10 vou charger and [
tried to estimate how much nv newspaper
would allow me 10 pay him.
He looked mad for moment and then his
long. coftce-colored beard quivered with mer-
riment,as he said Il mean. DO you expect | am
going TO pay You anything to interview me?'
mo" i remarked. catching NV breath once
more and ioyously finging my whole weight
on my other leg What on earth put such an
idea into your head?'
well. there have been half dozen fellows
here Offering to write me I'D for money" he
exclaimed; 'they must be crazy to think want
any such notoriety that"
When he was completely treasured Senator
PETER was cordial; he talked freely aud with
the continuity OF culture. He offered a seat
and took one himself.
His entire family is in Kansas. but later i'm
the season he will bring Mrs. PETER hither and
one SON. lie has nye grown sons aIsi three
daughters, and they are all supporting them
selves working at their tralle7.
Yes. | believe all children should be given
trades. he said. 80 as 10 be seif-supporting.
Even my youngest daughter could earn enough
at typesetting TO support herself and her
mother. My children could ali face the world
and ask only chance to work. L shall try to
get them all to come TO see Washington while
am here"
PETER had little schooling, put he served
three wears in the war, 1ising from private 10
lieutenant. Being versatile and OF general
utility he was detailed for various services
adlutant, as commissary. as quartermaster. and
hnaily as judge advocate of a military court
Here he won the title Of Judge" which has
always stuck to him.
asked Senator PETER what he and the new
members from Kansas were up to.
Various things" he said. Il am going to
New England this summer to study the condi-
tons OF success In the wooden factories there
to see if the industry cannot be planted in
Kansas We raise wool enough: why should
We not raise blankets and ciotEing?'
You are reported to have sill other pur-
poses." / suggested.
I'VE shall meet in Cincinnati in Nav to see
about organizing for the next presidential
campaign. After conference with the knights
OF Labor and with other farmers organizations
We shall probably have candidate ia the field
for the presidency. Who? We do Not know.
The movement IL growing rapidly. We in Kan
sas have shown what can be done. Our party
was only year old, but we drew A.. 900 from
the republicans. $4,000 from the democrats aud
$4,000 from the union-labor party and swept
the state
AS to your political PLATFORM
"There are four subjects which We think in |
clude the whole of the politics-fnance. trans
portation, labor and land. As to what results |
should be sought, we agree; as TO the methods |
OF arriving at them, We are somewhat at vari- |
ance 80 far.
tional banks mnst go and that the people must |
get their money in q cheaper way and get it di- 1
rect from the government. These banks have /
for whole generation now obtained their |
money from the government at one per cent |
and loaned IT al five, or six, seven. or eight
per cent. We believe that the farmers can dis |
pense with these expensive go-betweens and |
get their money direct from government for one |
per cent. The details of the method are yet to |
be devised.
"As to transportation, we believe that the |
government Is going to assume charge of the /
railroads and run them or superintend their |
running"
by confscating them?'
mo; We wish to confscate nothing We /
believe in property, and do not intend either |
to despoil 1t or steal il. The peoples /
ing them.
SAs to land we are interested in two diree- \
tions-toward the land owned by private par
ties and toward land vet owned by the govern
ment. Concerning the latter we favor the |
comprehensive plan Of irrigation that has al
ready been marked ont, and for the present
the segregation of all the arid lands and the
available reservoir sites, we believe that money
cannot be more profitably spent than in that
oirecuon- concerning private land we hold
that vast tracts should not be monopolized and /
Kept IDLE. Tor every man who comes into the
world has right to home and to land enough
to work on. Great estates viii probably have
to be diminished
''As to labor. we believe that every indus;ri-
Gus man has right to a chance to work We
beliere that every machine and invention
ought to benefit the workman as much as his
employer. Now each machine displaces work.
ers and they get little or no benefit
The settling OF these questions is all you aim
At Senator"
Yes, but they involve some other questions
temperance, wonan's suffrage. the apprentice
question, the eight-hour question. DC. We
from Kansas are generally in favor Of woman's
suffrage"
That would no doubt work il you always
had the right sort Of women"
We'll, in Kansas we always have that sort"
How about the tariff, SENATOR
I'VE favor reducing the tariff ON the necessi-
ties OF life and increasing il on Injuries. But
We shall move slowly here In fact, We are not
dangerous in any direction; We do not wish TO |
destroy, but to build up, to preserve, TO foster
and especially 10 protect all mems rightsL"
Thus il viii be seen that Judge PETER talked
we'll l shall send him no bill
A TALK WITH SIMPSON,
called on Jerry simpson at the Kenmore.
He is . younger man than expected to find
not over forty-ive, and he looks comfortable.
verify e II his pedal sxtremities were environed
in fbrops integrements- he is . brunette,
clean shaver (sometimes) except fierce black
mustache, which serves TO italicise his fierce
black eyeA A horny-handed farmer, be il
frank and aggressive IN manner, and win be
handy-horned bull In the congressional china
lhop- He Wa9ts mops. 6rstclass money for
aver ybodv and n bouud 10 have il II the prinN.