The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-03-02
THE KANSAS SITUATION AND IT'S
LESSON

THE KANSAS SITUATION AND IT'S
LESSON.
The present situation at the capital
of Kansas is full OF instruction for
citizens, who, like ex-senator ingalls,,
think :spolitical reform is an rides
cent dream" and sthe Decalogue is
out of place in a political campaign
In these terms the Kansas Senator,
little more than four years ago, secuted
proposals to mend the ways of his
party, announcing cynically that "the
object of a campaign is to win, -
without regard to the means en-
ployed. At that time the Republican
majority in the State was $4,000 Mr..
Ingalls, was in the Senate, and, so far
as he and his party were concerned,
there was no evidence of any connec-
ton in politics between morality and
success. The revelations of 1890 and
1892 were yet to come. Kansas had
not yet elected populist Governor and
ceased to send Republicans to the
United States Senate.
At present the State is passing
through an ordeal of political violence
and anarchy which reveals the rotten
ness of the farmer regime. Its mem
bers in Congress were but recently
distinguished for the bitterness and
glib recklessness with which they
denounced alleged violence and dis
order in the South, but nothing that
ever occurred in South Carolina during
the most irritating provocations of the
reconstruction period can equal the
scenes recently enacted at Topeka.
Kansas is divided into two hostile
camps, whose hatred of each other
may any day eventuate in bloodshed.
The populists have the governorship
and the Senate. They have claimed
to have a rightful majority of the
House also and have elected a Demo.
crat to the United States Senate
Legislation is being carried forward
by them, the populist programme
embracing these among other measures
An Australian ballot bill, maximum
freight-rate bill, bin to prohibit
usury, a bill to require the weekly
payment of wages, free textbook
bill, &c. The Supreme Court of the
State, being Republican, is expected
to pronounce the acts of the populis
House INVALID and legislation is hur
ried so that effect of the court
decision may be evaded by an early
adjournment. The session must end
in any event, on March 8.
| There is Republican House which
occupies one wing of the State Capitol
the Republican members having
effected an entrance by means o
dge-hammers and having success
| fully resisted the efforts Of the Gov
ernor's militia to dislodge them. For
time, while it was uncertain whethe
the Governors populist militia or thu
sheriff's Republican posse woule
prevail, thousands of armed citizen
were assembled in Topeka and civi
war was imminent. Something likt
fury seemed to possess both sides. The
populist House was finally expelled
from the State building and forced tt
meet in a hired hall. Amity, however
between the Republicans and tn
populists-formerly their most subser
Went voters-was not restored. On
the contrary, new fuel was added t
the fire. New grudges were created
between the farmers and the classe
who-as the Kansas farmers think
are accustomed to prey upon them
The tangle in which everything i
involved and the bitterness of tn
prevalent feeling are illustrated in tn
proposal of the Republicans of th'
Senate and House to elect, with tn
help of two Democrats, another Dem
ocratic Senator, to compete at Wash
ington with Senator elect Martin 70
senatorial honors.
| Nltll ulSSOlu, OlotluSt SiCiSuIS,
double Legislature and anarcby-sucI
are some of the results of the divorc
of politics from the Decalogue il
Kansas An evil education OF tn
voters has returned to plague it
inventors. Majorities and office
wrongfully obtained have resulted il
bad legislation, unequal treatment c
the various interests of the State an,
measureless discomfort. So far has tn
resulting rupture of the Republica
party gone that internal feuds out
weigh the old party cries. 1t has bee
the same in State and nationa
| politics. The Ingallses, the Hoar:
the McKinIeys and Reeds sowed tn
: wind and they have reaped the whirl
awind.-Raltimore Sur.