The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-07-15
therefore, more favorable to gold and
less so to silver than that of the re-
publicans. New York Sun.
A, w. Smith.


He managed to get into the legisla-
ture two or three times, and was the
worst demagogue that ever went there.
The most flinty faced banker or
soulless railroad attorney that ever
sat in tie Legislature had softer side
for the farmer than did the egotistical
demagogue from Mcpherson, styled
Farmer Smith"
In the session of S6-S7, Smith was
speaker of the house. This was the
year of the notorious county line
schemes. A gang of land gamblers
held n convention at Lakin prior to
the assembling of the legislature. 1t
is notorious and humiliating fact,
that they really planned the organiza-
ton of the legislature at that conven-
ton. They fixed on Smith for speaker
and Billy Edwards for chairman of
the committee on county seats and
county lines. When the legislature
assembled, this job went through.
This is the same Smith who is now
candidate for governor, and the same
Edwards who is candidate for secre
tary of state.
If they raked over the whole state
of Kansas from the Missouri river to
the Colorado line, with q fine tooth
comb, it would be impossible for them
to get a grander pair of demagogues.
If The republicans have any schemes to
put through, and Smith and Edwards
are not willing to become plant tools
tor the same, it would be useless to
look for any one outside the peniten-
tiary to attempt it.
Some of the most notorious schemes
that ever went through the Kansas
legislature, went through that session,
and Smith and Edwards were in them
up to their eyes. This was the session
that created Botkins notorious judicial
district, and created it over the pro-
test of the since murdered Sam Wood.
Sam Wood said the creation of that
district meant reign of crime. He
said it was sought to be created in the
interest OF crime. Even Gillett, who
was candidate The other day before
the republican convention for attorney
general. and who was at that time
chairman of the judiciary committee
in the house, appalled, at the criminal
possibilities, arose and protested
against the creation of Botkin'g dis
trict.
But Smith took the floor and made
one of the most scandalous speeches
that ever was made in the house, and
he the speaker of the house. He de-
nounced Wood as savagely as ever did
Botkin in his most drunken fits, and
called on his friends in the house to
vote for the passage of the bill, adding
-"you can't deal fair, when opposing
the notorious Sam Wood"
That bill was passed, that judicial
district was created, and its notorious
criminal history since has been a dis
grace to the state, and subject of
unfavorable comment over the civili-
zed world. Nearly $4,000 have been
spent trying to impeach its notorious
judge; as much more has been spent
keeping a standing army in 1t to sup
press crime; murder goes unpublished;
it has become an asylum for the hard
ened. the desperate and the bad; the
famous Sam Wood to whom Kansas
owes much, and who with the exact.
ness of a prophet forewarned the legis-
lature of the result, sleeps in his grave,
having been murdered in cold blood,
in broad day, by an attache of the
court in the court room, having been
compelled by mandate Of the court
to come to his slaughter.
Think of it, and think also that the
man of all men responsible for the ex-
istence Of that notorious district, that
shield for crime and criminals, is A.
W. Smith, the present republican can
didate for governor. OTTAWA Journal.
The Peoples Nominee.
General Weaver the nominal NJ tho