Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-18
REPUBLICANS WE'RE TOO sANGUINE.

REPUBLICANS WE'RE TOO sANGUINE.
Why They Suffered Defeat in Kansas-The
New Member, Charles Curtis.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
TOPEKA, KAN, Nov. IA, 1891.
The republicans ore now trying to explain
the causes which led to their defeat in the re-
cent election in Kansas, but as yet no one has
suggested the thought that tho opposition had
too many votes. The real reason Il that the re-
publican party was too sanguine. The leaders
took it for granted that the campaign for the
credit Of the state would bring to their sup
port at least n. 900 democrats who would prefer
republican rule to a change to the new move
ment, which had unsettled values and retarded
business throughout the state.
Had this been an of year and no national
issues at stake one-hak Of the democratic vote
| would have gone to the republican state ticket.
The hope Of defeating the republican electoral
ticket and thus aiding In the election Of Cleve-
land inspired every democrat to earnest and
uncsasing efforts. Then to satisfy the demo-
cratic business men and others who might be
inclined to vote with the republicans on state
issues the peoples party nominated L. d. Lew
Cling as their candidate for governor He is
| a merchant Ut Wichita and is regarded as . man
Of good judgment and average executive abjl-
guided by democratic counsel and advice It
was . nomination satisfactory to both demo-
crafts and peoples party men and hence his
election.
The total vote polled in Kansas will reach
about SGT, 600. Two years ago 1t was 2s7, 600.
Then the republicans polled Iii, 600; the poo
pies party, 10000; the democrats, II 900, and
the third party prohibitionists 1900. This year
the republicans have polled 16O, 900; the peo-
ple's-democratic, 1853 900. and the prohibition
ists 1900. While the fusion forces have won
by about 8 00o they have lost Is, 900 and the re-
publicans have gained $4,000 over the vote Of
1880. At least 10000 Of this gain comes from
the alliance and peoples party, and is COM
posed Of old soldiers and sons Of veterans who
refused to cooperate with the democrats.
There is very little difference in the vote on
governor and President and that is in favor Of
the republican candidate for governor. The
Weaver electors will have about 4, 900 majority.
THE FIGHT ON JERRY SIMPSON
The fight made against Jerry Simpson by the
republicans was the most bitter in the history
of the state Speakers from abroad were
thrown into that district and every possible
effort made to defeat him. It was q common
expression from republicans all over the state
that they would give up everything to down
Jerry" But Jerry was not to be downed. He
came out Of the contest the biggest man In the
people party in Kansas and the strongest can
didate for United States Senator before the
legislature. He declines to say whether he is O
candidate for the Senate or not, but it is be-
lieved he will prefer to wait two years and
strike for the six-year term. His party would
not want to precipitate contest now for
special election, fearing that new man
might suffer defeat. as Jerry's majority re-
duced from nearly 5000 to 400. In a clump
of peoples party politicians today Jerry talked
freely of the recent upheaval. He says it is the
most glorious victory ever won by the people
against the combined capital of the country.
He also claims Ii as victory for his free trade
theory and says he stood squarely on that issue.
As to the people party remaining in business
as national party, he said ii depended entirely
on the democrats. There would be no further
business for his followers, he thought. if the
democrats would give the country absolute free
trade, a national currency based on gold. silver
and other forms of wealth and legislation con-
trolling the means of transportation, which he
said, he had never been in favor of purchasing
CHARLES CURTIS. NEW MEMBER.
II will be interesting to Washington people to
know that Kansas will send to Congress to sue
coed Congressman Otis a man with Indian blood
coursing through his veins. This man ia Chas.
Curtis, the new republican member from the
fourth district. Looking down from the House
gallery the visitors will very easily discover this
fact. He is Young, slender and graceful, and
his complexion is more like the full blood
American Indian than his Anglo-Saxon brother
Young Curtis ancestors appear in history only
so far back as 1925. when on June the Kaw In
dians under the treaty made ut St. Louis decided
all lands held by them in Missouri
and such lands as they held in Kan
sas, comprising what is now young
Curtis district. These lands were reserved By
the treaty for Julie Gouvil, daughter of Louis
Gouvil. and full-blood Kaw woman. daughter
of chief. Gouvil was a French refugee and
trader among the Indians. Julie Gouvil grew
to womanhood and married Louis Popan. also
French refugee. and the daughter of this last
union was the mother OF Congressman Curtis.
company and died soon after the war. His
mother died few years later and the boy grew
up in Topeka, living with his grandmother. His
grandmother POpan lives with her people on
the Fottawatomie reservation and his grand
father Popan employs his time fishing Oh the
kav between Topeka and Lawrence. He lives
in house boat and catches catfish for the
market.
Young Curtis started out in life az horse
jockey and rode races in all this region of
country. He was by turns hotel porter, bus
driver and law student, and soon after he
reached his majority was elected attorney for
Shawnee county. The prohibitory liquor law
had just gone into effect and the 200 saloon
keepers of Topeka had met and declared that
they would not stop their business. but con-
tinue to sell Young Curtis the law officer
for the county. He resolutely opened war on
the rum fiends" and in four months there
was not a saloon in Topeka and the county Jail
was so full of saloon keepers that their legs and
aims hung out the windows. Such is the his
tory of the Indian Congressman Kansas sends
to the national Congress. He is an uncom-
promising republican.