Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-02-05

Gratis voted for PETER. Lieutenant
Governor Felt declared Judge PETER
elected United States Senator for six
years The joint session then dissolved.
The Senators had no sooner departed
than PETER was called for He ca ne to
the Speakers rostrum amid cheers and
said: "It would hardly be prop er to
address this body as the joint conven-
ton of the Legislature. 1 see f'efore
me representatives of all the people.
We, the people, have commerce the
building of distinct and separate polit-
ical organization Land is the common
property of men, and labor is the
common lot of men. Transpor tation is
medium of their communication and
money is the lubricating oil. On these
principles we viii erect a grand party.
We are opposed to a National banking
system. We believe in the Government,
which is simply the agent OF the peo-
pie, issuing money direct to them. We
oppose taxing one industry to support
another. We believe that free trade,
absolute, is often the best form of pro
lection. We believe in distributing the
burdens of taxation equally among the
people so far as we are able to do so.
I'm SHIRT, we believe in the people
ruling
Cos1inuing his speech, Mr.. PETER
said that he read in the Topeka Capt.
TOT a statement to the effect that the
Democrats will take no credit to them
selves fo- PETERS election. That was
the truth, he said, but he wanted TO say
that when he left the Republican party
he left it for good
The Republican party, he said. had
lost its power for good. A new party
was needed. The people asked
for the unlimited coinage of silver and
the Republican party told them that
they did not know what they wanted.
They asked for tariff reduction and the
Mckinley bill was given them.
81 joined in the rebellion" he said,
| ''and INV election TO-DAY Is the result Of
it,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
William Alfred I'effer was born a farm
| In Cumberland County, Pa, on September 10,
1881 His grandfather, William PETER, was q
soldier in the war of 1s12- His boyhood was
| spent there until he was nineteen years
| of age. He applied all his savings to acquir-
| ing books and at that age had a library of 100
volumes. From the age of Is to 10 he taught
| school a portion of each year, principally in
the winter months At - he was attracted
| to California, where he spent nearly two
years in the mines, with little pecuniary sue
cess. but as q young man of ability so at
/ tracted public attention as TO be rendered a
| nomination 20 the Legislature which he was
| compelled to decline account of his age.
! In 1852 he returned to his old home and his
pursuits as a farmer and teacher, but, in
1883, being married, he emigra.ed to ST.
Joseph County, Ind where he spent six
years a farmer. In 1859 he removed to
Morgan County. No, where he remained
teaching and farming-until the eaking
out of the war, when he removed to Warren
| County, HI, and enlisted a private in
| company r, Eighty third regiment Illinois
| volunteer infantry He was soon promoted
| 20 a Lieutenancy- He participated in the
| second battle at Fort Donelson, the battle OF
| Nashville and other engagements and was
| mustered out at the close of the war. On ac-
! count OF his peculiar business qualifications
| he was selected as Judge advocate for the
| trial OF civil offenses and was afterward Sc
| lec:ed by General Thomas as depot quarter
| master of the engineers department al
| Nashville and had control OF the receipt and
| shipment of all the engineers supplies FOL
| the military division of the Mississippi un-
der General Sherman
| On being mustered out of service, the
| young Lieutenant settled at Clarkville, Tenn
! where he practieeo law from 1865 to $50
| From Tennessee early in 1870 he emigrated &c
| Kansas and located in Wilson County, pur
| suing his profession, and in December OF The
| same year purchased the wilson Count,
| Courier which he conducted for three years
| In 1874 he was elected a Senator from Wilson
| and Montgomery Counties on the Republic
an ticket. He was chairman of the Centen
NAL Committee and Committee Public
| Printing and an active, useful member OF thu
| Judiciary Committee
| In 1873 Judge PETER removed to Coneyville
established the CoreyvilIe Journal and con
tinued the practice of law.
| He was originally Democrat, but on she
organization OF the Republican party be
| came Republican Some time ago judge
PETER Joined tie Farmers Alliance and be
| came devoted to the principles OF the new
| party which has come to power in Kansas
For ten years he has edited the kansal
| Farmer.
Judge PETER il a tall, slender, thin faced
| man with long. dark beard. He has th,
| step but not the erect form OF a soldier 4
| frequent cough betokens q delicacy of health
| He il the author of a book entitled THE W a,
Out" advocating the lending OF money b.
| the Government to the people.