The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-24
An Anarchist Governor.

Governor JOSEPH W. FIFER OF Illinois,
better known among the people who for
some inscrutable reason made him Govern
or. as Private JOE FIFER, despairs Of the re-
public. This despair fills us with alarm, not
for the republic. but for Private JoH. Last
Friday he talked to a convention Of the
farmers Of the Eighth Illinois Congress
district at Joliet. talk full Of direful
prophecy. II the reports Of his speech are
true. 1t was the most peculiar address ever
delivered by the Governor Of an American
State. Twill we lose." asked Private JOE,
whose immensely Of heart has been sup
posed to atone for his blindness as to
Shall and Will. Twill We lose our republi-
can form Of government and take on q
stronger one3" Hear the melancholy an
swer which Private JOE made to his melsn-
choly question:
"Just 20 certainly ~ stand here this 0ovsrnmsns
viii fall. AL teuds 10 wealth. wealth TO luxury luxury
TO weakness, and weakness to lapse"
But P. J. has remedy for tho lspsus Of
wealth into luxury. luxury lapsed into
weakness. and weakness lapsed into lapse !:
"what the safssuardsi Ihsvs . remedy. II 10
the educational and land system. and should not BE-
tied up over two generations"
It is difficult to tie up anything in this
country for more than two generations,
and 80 far as the educational system is con-
cerned. that seems to be as open as P. US
speech aperture. But let US hear him pour
out his honest soul among the Eighth dis
trict farmers:
Keep the boys on the farm: make II attrastivA
How love to get down among the masses breathe the
fresh air and feel tho honest pulse Of the people.
"sometimes got disheartened IN the whirlw1nd Of
criicism OF ofcial life. but whom get down among
the honest masses-aoD bless them-I take courage
and hope for our country and Its Institutions
"oh. how hate political life and long BE- with the
people. As LINCOLN said. you fool the peo
pie all the time you fool all OF them some of the
time. but you can't fool all Of them all tho time.
"A war between religion and irreligton ID approach
Ing. not OF bullets but of ideas.
Hold fast to your civil and religious liberties, ruard
well your moral growth. and II you arc strong and
courageous. the battle will be II not. then some
Gssos will wrte the decline and fall Of this republic"
This Is delightful. We are not so much
impressed with the wars and ruin which
Private JOE sees coming as with his i'm
mense condescension In stepping from
the dals Of intellectual and political su-
periority and getting down among the
masses. and feeling the honest pulse Of the
people. He will find that the peoples pulse
keeps more temperate music than his own.
For he. poor fellow. is not only worn out
with worrying over the ruin Of the repub-
lie. but he hates political life and longs to
be among the people once again. On &C
count OF the impending crisis. however. he
is working his brain to the bone In the en-
deavor to be renominated for Governor.
and to endure four years more Of hatred
and disheartening political life.
For his own sake the people OF Illinois
should take pity on poor old JOE FIFER and
let him breathe the fresh air and feel their
honest pulse once more. A genius like his
ought not to be hidden away In Springfield.
Send him to the Fair and charge an admis- |
sion fee. and label him Specimen OF an
Illinois Anarchist Governor"