Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-11-03
Congressman Simpson vs Caraway.

IL
republicans about Jerry Simpson max
ing a personal attack" on Caraway at
the Hoisington meeting. We have
carefully Investigated the whole matter
and this is as near as We can find out
about just what did occur at that meet
ing:
After Mr.. Simpson had talked for
some time upon the finance, tariff and
transportation questions, he touched
upon the false and contemplate charge
made by republican papers and speak
ers in Kansas that he, Simpson, had
''maligued the people of Kansas, insult
ed our women,o etc. He read from a
copy of the Watchman-the paper in
which his article was published-the
whole of the article containing the
language concerning linen selling their
honor, women their virtue and children
becoming criminals and outcasts," and
offered 500 to any republican speaker
or editor who would prove that there
was line Or word in the article to
warrant them IN stating that he re-
ferred to the people Of Kansas or any
part of Kansas. He said that such
men as Anthony, Bodkip and CaraWay
hai..been maliciously and falsely mis-
quoting the extract. not daring to give
the real Oh correct application. and he
challenged any of them to stand before
him and prove that THEIR statement
was correct or that HIS article Just read
was false. He denounced such state
ments as Infamous lies and ISLANDERS. "
! Caraway sat on a wagon in front OF the
! speaker, and at this point arose to his
feet, and shaking his fist at Mr.. Simp-
son, said: "You can say that on that
platfrom, but you can't say it to me on
the street." Mr.. Simpson replied:
"If you know you were justified in
your statements about that letter, you
have an opportunity to come on this
platform, before this audience, and
vindicate yourself, and here's 500 if
you'll come up here and prove you are
not an infamous, lying scoundrel-if
you will not do it. you will have to
bear the brand of Har.'
This is the language used by both
parties, as we get it from various gen.
tlemen, of different political faiths,
who were present at the time, and we
cannot see that MIR. Simpson is deserv-
ing of any censure whatever for his
part in the affair. He dose not publish
a paper in the district and has nomeans
Of meeting such false and unwarranted
charges as Caraway has made other
than on the stump.
| Everybody knows that Caraway lets
his mouth get away with him on the
slightest provocation, and if he had
kept controll of it on the occasion
above referred to he would not have
gotten the deserved scorching that
Jerry gave him. If he had not misrep
resented Jerry time and again in his
paper, not only ron the matter in ques
ton but on many other things, be
would not hvae been classed among
the infamous lying scoundrels" OF
| Kansas. Our judgment about the mat
ter is, that Caraway went over to Hois
ington to manufacture some sort o.
campaign thunder, to get up some sor
of wrangle that would give him an ex
cuse for further viliifcations and mis-
repre- Sentation of our congressman
He evidently got what he went aftei
I-and little that he did not want -foi
his paper of last week contained almos
six columns of matter referring to Jerr,
Simpson. And every article in ever,
column contained more Or less of slush
Billingsgate, absenity and false state
ments. Who Caraway expects TO in
f1uence by his disreputable methods W
cannot conjecture. He certainly doe
not appeal to the reason of any think
J ing man. The only effect OF hi
method win be to make every man VIII
!. has determined to vote for Simpson
more strong in that determination; AM
will make the harum- scarum, Ehool
and hurrah republicans more unTeason
able in their fanaticisms-