Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-04-20
JIM LANE. Of KArs

a aPh Bit of Historx
bleeding K~ansasv ma ~oaassns
Days. "u Her
New York Sun: Tho
from henorth were almost ulsraaa
exception from civil life without
farmers mechanics and aeofeA
young men OF the artisans
reared in and Injured to poyas.. clas
used to arms and unschooled ! ~
They were intelligent, devo ! VA
patriotic. They came to nlo~ add
plant, to open farms, erect pow and
saw lumber and grind corn !, y
teach school, build towns and 'iads
struct a free state. But n !, J, cs
James Henry Lane, had any mi lasa
experience. He had been 4 co,au'fy
the Mexican war, Of an Indiaao y
ment, and was afterwards : l;.a 'est
ant governor and member of coo.'sl
from that state. He had an ert,.ss
binary assemblage of mental mao',
and physical traits, and with ers o'a
rudimentary perception of the ~
of personal character as an ele ,a,as
OF success in public affairs, wonls
have been a great leader, with an !
during fame. But in arms he v,' y,
Capt. Bobadil, and in politics ! DE-.
meister Dugald Dalgetty. He W.
posed to "settle the yexed opast,a'
and save Kansas from further j..
rage by a battle between 100 s,.vs
holders, including Senator Atcbisos
and 100 free state men, including him
self, to be fought in the presence !
twelve United States senators a.,
twelve members of the house of ren,s
sentatiyes as umpires.
He was the object Of inexnlicabl
idolatry and unmistakable execration
With his partisans the superlatlvo
of adulation were feeble and meaca,
With his foes the lexicon of infam
contained no eIithets sufficient
lurid to express their adherence an
detestation. They alleged that h
never paid a debt nor told the trutl
save by accident or on compulsio,
and that to reach the goal of his an
bition he had no convictions
would not sell, made no promise
would not breake, and had no frier
he would not betray.
A lean, haggard and sinewy fgur
with a Mephistophelian lear upon b
shaven visage, his movements we
alert and restless, like one at bay az
apprehensive Of detection. Profe;
ing religion, he was never even a
cused OF hypocrisy, for his followe
knew that he partook of the sacr
ment as a political device to secu
the support Of the church, and tn
with the same nonchalant alacri
had he been running for office in Hi
dostan he would have thrown his 0
spring to the crocodile of the Gang
or bowed among the Parsees at {
shrine Of the sun. His energy "
tireless and his activity i~ndefatigab
No night was too dark, no storm {
wild, nor heat or cold too excessive,
distance too great to delay his me
oric piigrimages, with dilapidat
garb and equipage, across the traC
less prairies from convention to Ct
vention. His oratory was yoluI
and %incessant. without logic, learnil
rhetoric or grace; but the multituC
TO whom he pe%rpetually appea
hung upon his hoarse and hal
harangues with the rapture Of de
tees upon the oTacuiar rhapsodies
a prophet, and responded TO his ap
trophies with frenzied enthusiasm.
He gained the prize which he sous
with such fevered ambition, but
ter many stormy and tempestu'
years, Nemesis, inevitable in 81
careers, demanded retribution.
presumed too far upon the tolerat
Of a constituency which had homo
him so long and forgiven him so mu
He transcribed the Limitations VIII
the greatest cannot pass. He ap
tatized once too often, and in his
ond term in the United States seni
to avoid impending exposure, aftt
tragic interval Of despair, he died
his own hand, surviving ten days
ter the bullet had passed through
brain.
The Drawbridge Keepers Heroism