The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-09-02
ABANDONS HARRISON.
Hon. John Madden Of Kansas...A Harfi-
son ElectOr and a Republican
Orator.
WHY liz CANNOT ACCEPT THE INVITATION.
In an Eloquent Letter in Which He Gives
COgent Reasons Why Weaver
Should Be Elected.

ENTERPRISE, Kas, Aug 22.-Hon
John Madden of Kansas, one of the
most eloquent speakers Of the state,
and four years ago republican cleo
tor, has written the following letter to
the Kansas state republican committee
declining to advocate Harrison's cleo
ton and openly announcing his sup
port of General Weaver, 1t is = STIR
ring epistle:
CoTToNwooD FALLS, Kas,. Aug. Is.
Hon. j. NJ. Simpson. chairman re.
publican state central committee, To-
peka, Kas.: Ny Dear Sir--Y our letter
of the 9th inst, requesting my services
IN the state campaign in behalf of the
republican party, duly received. i
will state the reasons why | cannot
accept your invitation, and hope the
same may be received by you as suffi-
cient; they are not intended to be per-
sonal, and hope you willreceive them
in the same kind spirit in which they
are pnnned. They are reasons why /
oppose a SYSTEM which in my judy
ment is not truly American.
l have never been what might be
termed u partisan, for the reason l
could never see anything sacred in
political doctrines when they did not
impress the consciences Of men as be-
ing right.
have always been opposed TO the
protection of one class of men ut the
expense of the great wealth producing
masses, and never supposed any party
would be short sighted enough to at
tempt thing of that kind. | find |
have been mistaken, like thousands of
other men who have been voting with
the republican party, and we see our
brethren of the producing and labor
ing classes surrounded by conditions
which are absolutely appalling, and
the great question now is to save them
before it is too late.
l am an American by birth, training
and education, and such | am unalter-
ably opposed to any movement of men
that tends to set aside the simple faith
and loyalty Of the fathers and create
conditions un natural and un-Amerirau
whereby capital becomes q heartless
oligarchy, and labor drops Gown to
the level of homeless and hopeless
peOnage.
Partisan prejudice cannot close the
food gates through which rush the
clear and living waters of truth;
neither can its blind degmas draw
unto themselves respect, veneration
or reverence, when huugry thousands
clamor for bread and labur's voice is
heard at every gathering demanding
protection and it is answered by
PinkertoE bullets.
The motto, Stand up for Kansas"
on your letterhead, in view of the con-
dition to which the tOiling masses have
been reduced; in view of the fact that
your political system has contracted
the peoples money, SO that obligations
cannot be paid IN view of the fact
that the homes are being sold under
mortgages and passing into the hands
of syndicates; in view of the fact that
the people have been robbed by rail
road corporations and transportation
lines; in view Of the fact that trusts
and combines control the peoples
market and get what is left; in view
of the fact that you passed an iniqui-
! tous law extending municipal aid to
railroads aud now Il great number of
the counties of Kansas are resting in
the sleep of death under bonds voted
by hired voters Of the companies
through the operation Of such Il law;
in view of the fact that such system
of municipal aid has been main
tanned; even when its repeal was urged
by your patriotic' governor, John A.
Martin; in view of the fact that oar
immense wheat crop of this year is be-
ing already absorbed by the railroads
and eatcombines; in view Of thefact
that the most Industrious can scarcely
maintain themselves and families, the
motto"Stand up for Kansas sunnatur-
al, inhuman and ghoulish, and sounds
like the hollow mockeiy of winds blow
ing over graves.
You say you want speakers, soap
able of eTpounding party doctrine and
especially the magnificent services
which the present administration has
rendered the farmers and laboring
men of the country"
As you know, four years ago rs one
of the presidential electors of Kansas,
cast my vote direct fUr Benjamin
Harrison. | hoped then change Of
administration would benefit the cOun-
try and tighten some of the burdens
resting upon the people. In the cam
paign of that year l advised the bare
footed men whom l met at political
meetings in western Kansas to vote
for republican supremacy. l shall
never forget the pathos Of some Of
those gatherings, when l stood in the
presence of oil.brOwn men and women
whose faces indicated that they needed
bread.
J With these things in mind, and